Legend of Zelda: The Lost Goddess
by AuthorSam
Summary: It has been hundreds of years since The Hero and The Princess sealed away Ganondorf in the Dark Realm. Twilight has yet to befall Hyrule, and there have been no whispers of war. The Lost Goddess will be forced to return to this land, but she comes in a vessel, a vessel that knows nothing of Hyrule. Rated M for suggestive themes, violence, strong language, and eventually, sex.
1. Prolouge

**Prologue**

It has been hundreds of years since The Hero and The Princess sealed away Ganondorf in the Dark Realm. Twilight has yet to befall Hyrule, and there have been no whispers of war. Children are told of the Hero's exploits as bedtime stories, the Goddesses have kept silent, and calm has fallen over the land. The Queen and King of this time have faced no wars, no drought or famine, and above all, no evil; they have only faced prosperity, peace, and unity amongst all of Hyrule's citizens.

But there is still unease in the royal court. Unease is hard to shake after millennia of repeated, reborn, evil. This dark curse began when the Sky Children fell, when the original Dark Lord was defeated by the original Hero. When the strongest Goddess was reborn, not in a Queen or a Princess, but in a teenage girl. The curse was howled by the Dark Lord as he plummeted into the darkness, and this magic was powerful enough to haunt the decedents of the Sky Children for centuries. This fateful curse has caused numerous Queens and Kings to remain vigilant by building standing armies, and honing their unique skills. It has required the royal families to always have a Sheikah body guard present, and to maintain a peaceful relationship with the outlying tribes.

Two of the three pieces of the Triforce are accounted for. The Triforce of Wisdom, gifted by Nayru to the current Queen. The Triforce of Courage was, naturally, gifted by Farore to the current King. After becoming tainted by the Dark Lord during the most recent war, the Triforce of Power had been sealed away by Din herself. Rumors have circulated as to its whereabouts, but not even the Queen and King know of its location. Din swore to herself and her sisters that the Triforce of Power would never be touched by human hands again.

Ancient scriptures, lost to time mention another piece of the Triforce, a fourth piece. The center piece that holds the grand power of the Original Goddess, the one that created the three sister Goddesses. The one the severed the land to save her people, the one that was reborn in that teenage girl many eras ago. This Goddess has remained quiet, so quiet that there are no longer rumors or whispers of her presence. She has chosen to remain safe in another time, another place, somewhere the dark forces will never contact her. Hiding here, she can assure that her people, in their own time, will remain safe.

Our story starts here, in this land of peace, where a young monarchy rules the land. Where darkness and evil are a thing of the past, and not even the eldest citizen can recall a time of fear. Where the original Goddess will be forced to return.


	2. Chapter 1

Sheik woke with a start. A cool sheen of sweat coated his body, and his thin summer sheets had found themselves twisted around his legs. His wheat blond hair clung to his forehead and the nape of his neck, and, for once, he was glad he didn't have his traditional cowl on.

His room was still dark, the oil lamps had been turned off by a thoughtful night servant, and the full moon barely kissed the horizon; dawn was still an hour or two away. His bed, a magnificent four poster that could've easily held five people with space in between, was in a state of disarray; sheets were bunched up in odd little piles, his pillows tossed. This was odd; Sheik had been trained to sleep as still as the dead, and to always keep his Mind's Eye open to the outside world. Even in the comfort of the castle, he never let himself fall into such a deep sleep.

Until tonight. Tonight he had had one of his most vivid dreams.

He untwisted himself from the sheets, and brought himself to the edge of the bed, where he sat with his head in his hands. Unsurprisingly, he had a sticky blotch on the front of his night pants. Sheik rubbed his temples, willing the dream to stay with him, willing the girl to come back, wanting nothing more than to get a detailed image of her face in his Inner Eye.

Sheik knew better than to discard dreams this vivid, they were often premonitions. Occasionally Zelda would have dreams so realistic she would swear that they actually happened. More often than not, Zelda's dreams, and occasionally Link's would come true.

Sheik had yet to have a premonition dream, but he wasn't stupid enough to ignore what could very well be a sign from the Goddesses.

The girl in the dream had known Sheik, was certain. They were both in Sheik's bed, naked as the day they were born. She knew Sheik's favorite position; she was riding him, his hips bucking up to meet hers. She knew exactly what to do to make him moan by placing soft kisses on his neck. Her hands moved randomly from his shoulders to his arms in an attempt to steady herself. Every so often she would move her hand to play with one of her nipples, or maybe one of his. Her other hand would on occasionally wander from his arm, to her clit, and then behind her to cup his scrotum. Only then would he slow his rhythmic bucking and move his hands to her hips to balance her. As soon as her hands fell back on his shoulders, his hands moved to her chest, down her sides to ghost her hips, then back to her hair.

More fine details were slowly creeping back, as though the dream was water and Sheik's mind was a sponge. Her lips had been soft, but not as soft as a courtly woman's. Chapped in places a sign of being outdoors, or perhaps chewed on in a nervous habit. The girl's muscles were also toned, and her skin was barely sun kissed; tan, but not as tan as a farmer's, or a tradeswoman's. Sheik decided that this girl had definitely spent at least some of her times outdoors. Maybe as a farmer's assistant, helping in the various stables, or as a shop girl that was required to run goods to customers' homes.

But, how then, would she have known Sheik so well? The sex in the dream was too skilled to be their first time together. They were comfortable with one another, not clumsy, and definitely not new to each other's touches.

Sheik stood up and stretched; he would have to find a discreet maid to clean his pants and sheets. He wandered over to the floor length mirror that stood in its claw footed frame in a corner. His red eyes, never needing to adjust to the darkness due to years of training in far darker places, saw only his reflection in the smooth glass; a young man, lithe, tall, but not gangly or awkward, always in control of his body. His face, nearly always hidden by his cowl, was handsome. He ran a hand through his hair, it would have to be cut soon, it was starting to get shaggy.

Sheik turned his back to the mirror and glanced over his shoulder, he half expected to see fingernail marks on his back from where they switched positions. He was over her, her arms and legs wrapped around his back, nails and fingertips digging in, holding on as they both climaxed. Instead, he only saw his muscular back, pale from lack of sun.

The girl from his dream had said his name, his true birth name. She whispered it in his ear shortly after they climaxed, in the brief afterward that came before he pulled out of her and settled by her side.

But, how could this girl have known his true name? Would he have told her? He would've only done that if he truly loved her. Not even Link or Zelda knew his true name.

Sheik shook his head one last time; he still didn't have a clear image of the girl in his head. Her hair swam from a dark red color mixed with chocolate to a blonde and he couldn't pinpoint if her eyes were brown or blue. All he knew were the small details about her skin tone and her lips.

They tasted like the sweet cherries that grew in the castle's orchards. Sheik licked his lips, he could almost still taste her.

At one point in the dream his head had been buried between her thighs, his tongue working her clit. Sheik closed his eyes, hoping a more detailed version of her face would appear in his mind's eye. He saw dark auburn hair again, now she was on her knees in front of him, skillfully working his manhood with her mouth. Her breasts were perky, mere handfuls compared to some other woman. Still though, Sheik had no mental image of her face.

He shook his head, willing a second erection down and stepped from away from the mirror.

Other than the state of his bed, Sheik's room was pristine. His various weapons were mounted to a wall, his throwing knives and needles in their case on a desk under them. A few sparse decorations were placed around the room; Zelda insisted that his room looked too much like a dungeon, even with its grand windows and private balcony, and arranged for a few odd relics to be brought up. There was an ancient vase, and handful of paintings depicting mostly pastoral scenes, and replicas of the three sacred stones. A long unused Lens of Truth, gifted to the Hero of years past, set in a glass case on a small table in another corner.

The only bit of art that Sheik insisted on having in his room was a large Sheikah insignia painted on the east wall. The eye was blood red, with a single, fat bloody tear dripping from it. Zelda had called it morbid, but she didn't put up much of a fight beyond that. If her body guard wanted a Sheikah seal painted in his bedroom, he could have it.

The eye comforted Sheik. It reminded him to always keep his Mind's Eye open, and to remain watchful over the royal court.

The only other thing Sheik made sure his bedroom had was a fully stocked bookshelf. He handpicked books from the castle library to stock the modest six foot tall, four foot wide shelf. The topics ranged from how to clean and maintain weapons, to Sheikah lore, to fictional adventures. One book that he was particularly fond of was the true accounts of all of the Heroes Adventures' leading up to this point. This rather large tome took a place of honor in the center of the middle shelf, propped upright on a stand, cover facing out. _Firsthand Accounts of the Hero's Exploits Through the Ages: A Collection of Bravery, Heroism, Chivalry, and a Bit of Dumb Luck_ , _by historians Horwell, Owlan, Rauru_ , had no other books surrounding it, the rest of the shelf was dedicated to a miscellany of small weapons and artifacts.

Sheik wandered past the bookshelf to his attached private bathroom. He splashed some cool water on his face, dried off, took a long drink directly from the sink tap, and leaned his hands against his sink while resting his towel dried forehead against his mirror. He wanted nothing more than to see this girl's face, or maybe learn her name, but the dream was gone.

He sighed and decided to make his way to the kitchen, trying to fall asleep for the short time before dawn would be futile. Perhaps there he could find something to eat to clear his mind, and maybe an early morning maid. On his way out he changed into his loose day breeches, threw on a tunic top, and covered the lower half of face with a cowl. There would be no need to pull his hair into his head piece until later. He closed his door without as much as a latch click betraying his departure.

The castle was dark, silent as the grave; only a few oil lamps in wall sconces were lit to guide any early morning travelers through the castle's halls. Sheik silently padded down the set of stairs connecting the bedroom wing to the main hall, across the vast expanse that was used for balls and parties, through a door and down another set of stairs to the kitchen, where he was surprised to find Zelda.

She was sitting at the long servant's table that was set smack in the middle of the large room, surrounded by stoves, ovens, and shelf after shelf of canned and preserved food. She was in her nightdress, her hair was pulled back in a very informal ponytail, and she had deep bags under her eyes. She didn't even look up when Sheik entered, but Sheik knew she knew he was there. Hell, she probably felt him coming when he trekked across the main hall.

It wasn't uncommon for members of the royal household to find themselves in the kitchen when they needed time to think. Typically, Sheik, Zelda, and Link would retreat to their chambers when they needed some time alone, or perhaps to the stables, or maybe even the orchards on the grounds. But if their troubles came at night, especially during a deep sleep, they would find themselves in the kitchen. The heat from the ovens, as well as an array of snacks and comfort food, helped ease their troubled minds.

"Morning Sheik. Would you like some tea? I'm sure Henrietta would mix some up for you. She's up early anyway making bread dough for later. I think she's also going to make some pastries, and, when more of the cooks come, we can have them cook us a breakfast. Link will be up soon."

Zelda was trying too hard to be casual, she only got this way when something truly troubled her. Sheik never saw her this way in court, or during unpleasant diplomatic meetings; not even when the outlying Gerudos decided to suddenly stop trading with Castle Town five years ago, and she had only been a fifteen year old Princess during that episode.

Sheik smiled, took the seat across from her, and before he requested it, Henrietta had brought him a cup of tea and some day-old bread.

"It's not much I'm afraid, but, I wasn't expecting early morning risers." Henrietta was a kind older woman, plump from her days tasting various dishes to ensure their quality, her hair always sat in a bird's nest of a bun on top of her head, and she was never spotted without her apron. She was good natured, and, by far, the best cook in all of Hyrule. The younger cooks, especially the preteen apprentices, often called her Grandma Henri.

"Thank you Henri, I appreciate it, I could use something to clear my head."

"Well, if you need anything else, please, just holler, I'll be prepping vegetables in the root cellar." She exited through a small almost hidden door.

Sheik and Zelda both smiled, Henrietta knew the royal family well enough to know when they needed their privacy, and greatly appreciated her vacating the main kitchen.

Sheik lowered his cowl, Zelda had seen him without it so often that it would make no difference.

"So," Sheik took a sip of his tea, "Rough night?"

Zelda gave another weak smile and chewed on a bit of her stale bread. She had given it a generous coating of jam; turning to sweets was another thing Zelda did when she was troubled. They all had their vices, Zelda's was sweets, Sheik would often steal away to ride his horse through Hyrule Field as fast has the stallion could take him, and Link often opted to go fishing.

She swallowed, took another sip of tea, and answered with a sigh, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I had a horrific premonition this morning. One of the worst I've ever had, I could feel this poor girl being tortured as though I was in her skin. How about you? You're up early, even for a Sheikah."

Sheik ignored her question. The mention of a girl in Zelda's dream had him curious.

"Do you mind me asking if you remember what this girl looked like?" It would do no good to push Zelda to recount her premonition if she didn't want to relive it.

Ever since she was a child, the Goddesses had visited Zelda in her sleep. At first it was simple things, such as the weather, or future visitors to the castle, but over time her dreams got more complex. The Goddesses had even told Zelda about her father dying a full year before it would happen, which allowed her to prepare for Queendom as well as set her father's affairs in order. When the King died, Zelda was prepared.

"Sheik, let me just tell you the whole thing. It won't do any good to avoid what could come true, I only hope we can take action to ensure it doesn't."


	3. Chapter 2

"Before I start, I just want you to know that you just have to listen to me, okay. I don't want any questions, any interruptions, nothing. This was the most graphic, realistic, premonition that I have ever had, and I can only hope we are able to heed the advice the Goddess gave me at the end of it.

"If this promotion comes true, not only will the life of this poor girl be forfeit, but the entire kingdom will fall. So, please, just listen to me, don't make me lose my pace. I need to get all of my facts straight just as much as I need someone to listen."

Sheik smiled, reached across the table, and took his Queen's hand, "Zelda, you know me well enough to know that I would never interrupt you unless you were about to say something really stupid. Which, of course, is almost never, so I almost never have to interrupt you."

Zelda giggled, slid her hand away from Sheik's, and let a comfortable silence fall between the two.

After a few quite minutes of sipping tea, eating bread with jam, and just waiting, Zelda asked once again why Sheik was up so early in the morning.

He knew she would, Zelda wasn't one to let things go, "I also had a very realistic dream tonight, I think it could've been a premonition, it was like I was there, like I was actually touching the girl I was with." Sheik looked at Zelda who only nodded her head. Thankfully, she didn't ask exactly what his premonition was about.

"The problem is, I can't pinpoint her face. I can say for certain that she had dark auburn hair, and what her body looks like, but I still have no mental image of her face."

"Auburn hair…. The girl in my dream had auburn hair as well, but it was hard to tell given the circumstances she was in. "

Sheik sat silent and Zelda continued on.

"The dream started out dark, cold, in a windowless room. Now that I think about it, it had to have been a dungeon of some sort. She was chained to a wall by her ankles and wrists, but was given enough slack to move around her cell. I could feel her pain in my own wrists and ankles, as though they had been chaffed raw, and I could taste her fear; she didn't know where she was or how she got there. She did nothing but tremble and whimper in a corner for the first few moments of the dream, trying in vain to calm her breathing and maybe bring some warmth to her body.

"A door creaked open somewhere in the darkness, and heavy footfalls came down a hallway. They were slow, rhythmic," at this Zelda pounded the table with her fist to mimic the footsteps, "almost as though whoever was walking towards her wanted her to fear him, and wanted to savor the approach.

"The girl remained in the corner of her cell, wishing that she could just somehow disappear, melt through the walls, but she knew she couldn't hide from him. Couldn't hide from this evil that was approaching. I still couldn't see her fully, but instinct told me whoever was in the cell was a younger woman, perhaps in her late teens, definitely no older than twenty one.

"The man stopped in front of her cell, opened up the barred door, and entered. He held a torch, which he mounted on the wall, and I could finally make out both of their features.

"He was tall, almost a full head taller than Link, very tan, and had a crown of fiery red hair that tumbled down to his shoulders. He was muscular, almost grotesquely so, and his face was composed of sharp and cruel features."

Sheik let a soft gasp escape him, he knew those features, having thumbed through numerous texts during his studies. The Dark Lord's general appearance may have changed through the ages, but he always had red hair and tan skin. Originally, according to the lore, his hair was a mane of fire and his skin was as black as coal. He bit back the temptation to interrupt Zelda to ask if that meant that the Dark Lord had returned.

Zelda continued on, "He was younger than the stories depict him though. Likely in his late twenties. He carried a large broadsword on his back, but otherwise he was unarmed and unarmored.

"The flames from the torch cast the girl in a strange light. I could make out her hair, messy, bloodstained along the crown, but it showed signs of once being beautiful. Her eyes were a deep blue-green, and her skin was incredibly pale. She seemed malnourished as well. Her odd clothes, blue pants made out of a material I have never seen, and a shirt with incredibly thin straps, almost like an undershirt, were also bloodstained and torn. The shirt was thin and nearly see through, I could tell she wore nothing underneath it. She had no shoes, and I could see that the soles of her feet were severely scared, someone had made it so she could only crawl. Her entire body trembled in Ganondorf's presence, even though she wanted to seem brave."

More memories from Sheik's dream came flooding back. A girl with an easy smile and soft facial features swum into his mind's eye. Her eyes were a piercing blue with hints of green streaked throughout, almost as though they were made out of the sea.

"She was hurt in other places as well. There was large bruise on her right cheek, and bruises on her arms showed signs that she had been manhandled. Her right ankle was swollen, and there was evidence of an older wound on her left calf. Worst of all, she had a small blade imbedded in her left shoulder. It was oozing blood, but there was also old blood surrounding it, almost as though the blade had been left there for a few days.

"Ganondorf cleared his throat, he thoroughly enjoyed the terror he caused this girl, when he spoke his voice was deep, almost as though he was trying to be charming.

"'Wren, listen to me, all you have to do to stop your suffering to give me the fourth piece of the Triforce. That's it. If you do that, I will let you go.'"

Sheik let another small gasp betray him. The fourth piece of the Triforce? Impossible, it is only a rumor, a myth. He came close to breaking his promise to not speak when Zelda raised her hand for him to not interrupt.

"The girl, Wren, trembled more. It was her turn to speak, and her voice was cracked and broken, almost as though she had screamed her vocal cords raw.

"'I told you, I don't know what you are talking about. I wish I did, I would've given it to you a long time ago… I swear it, I don't know. I don't know. I just want to go home!'"

"She broke down in sobs. Huddled in the corner, crying at the feet of the Dark Lord, she made a pitiful sight. Terror radiated off of her in waves."

"Ganondorf was still maintaining his patience; he kneeled down to eye level with Wren, cupped her chin in his hand, and forced her to look at him.

"'You have said that numerous times, and yet, you still manage to heal yourself. Just yesterday your right eye was sealed shut by a bruise one of my servants gave you, and a few days ago you were so disobedient that you forced us to break your ankle. Even that dagger wound in your shoulder is healing nicely, no infection at all. How long has it been since my servant gave you that? Two days ago, three, five? You came here with a puncture on your calf from a spear, and that has mended itself into a mere bruise.

"'Now, you tell me how you manage to do that and yet not know about the fourth piece of the Triforce.'

"The girl took a deep breath, she was still trying to stay strong, she wiped her nose on the back of her hand and began in her raspy voice, 'I don't know how I do that. I just, I just wake up and my bruises and healed, and the ankle seemed to set itself. The dagger still hurts, but I can't take it out, he said he would make it much worse if I touched it. I swear I could never heal that fast before coming here.'

"Gannondorf smiled, leaned back on his heels, and slapped Wren as hard as he could across her face. It sent her sprawling towards the wall, the chains around her extremities clattering in her wake. She was sobbing again, and the bruise on her right cheek was already darkening. I could taste her blood in my mouth and knew she had bitten her tongue or cheek. He loomed over her, eventually kicking her onto her back, knelt down, and drew out the dagger with a quick jerk.

"The scream was loud, it echoed off of all of the walls in the dungeon, and in that moment I felt the desire to die. She wanted to just pass out from the pain and let it be over with, die somewhat peacefully in her sleep, but she couldn't. Her body wouldn't let her.

"Ganondorf stood tall once again, 'You just don't get it do you? You really, honestly, don't understand? Fine then. Hopefully the Goddesses will have mercy on you and grant you some sort of reprieve. Until then, my men will enjoy their time with you.'

"The girl's sobbing had turned to short gasps for air, it was as though she was drowning. She rolled onto her less wounded shoulder and let out another weak plea, 'Please, not them again. I can't, I can't take that again. It's too much, they are too rough. I can't handle it. Please, please, I will do anything. Just don't turn me over to them again!'

"'All you have to do is give up the center piece of the Triforce, that's it. Then all your suffering will be over.'

"'But I can't, I don't know how. I don't know what a Triforce is. Please, there has to be some other way. Maybe I can help you figure it out, maybe I can help you find out how I can give up the Triforce. Maybe, maybe we could team up or something? I don't know, but I just want this to stop. I will do anything.'"

Sheik's eyebrows knit together at this. This girl, the same one from his dream, had been so beaten and abused by Ganondorf that she was willing to do anything to end her suffering. He let a wave of anger pass over him before taking a deep breath to calm himself.

Zelda continued on, "Ganondorf smiled a wide false smile, 'I would love that as much as you, but, unfortunately, I promised my men they would have fun with you tonight. And, well, a promise is a promise. Maybe tomorrow night we can work out a little agreement hmm. I would love to have you working for me. Plus, I have heard you make an excellent bedmate.'

"Ganondorf turned to leave, and it was then that I noticed two figures that had been lurking in the shadows outside of the cell. One of them was familiar to me, he was Link's double. The dark reincarnation with blood red eyes and gray skin. The other was someone I know I should know, but cannot place. He had white skin and hair, eyes as black as pitch that he lined with purple makeup. He wore tight breeches and nothing else. The bulge in his pants showed exactly what he planned on doing with Wren."

Zelda stopped, sighed, and looked across the table directly at Sheik.

"This next part is rough, and I would rather gloss over the finer details. The Goddesses, for whatever reason, decided to gift me with a premonition of this poor girl's torturous night with these two demons. I would rather dwell on why they gave me this premonition instead of the details. Suffice to say that the two men took her violently. She was chained and couldn't flee, even though Ganondorf had left the cell door open; perhaps he only did that as one final cruel taunt. She was also hurt from her shoulder and the slap and weak from lack of food. It was like watching two cats play with a scared, hurt mouse before eating it.

"After the two men had sated themselves on her, and she was as fragile as glass, the dream faded to black. I could still hear her crying, but I could also hear the voice of a Goddess, I couldn't tell which one. She was warning me that this could come to pass should we let it. That this girl would soon be transported to our world and we would have to reach her before Ganondorf did.

"All leaders of the kingdom of Hyrule would have to prepare their armies for battle. But, above all, the Goddess told me to find the girl, Wren, and keep her safe. She warned me that if Wren were to fall into Ganondorf's possession, she would eventually break, and the fourth piece of the Triforce would be lost in our world, where dark forces could eventually acquire it. Worse yet, Ganondorf could decide to manipulate her into working for him. He could train her to be the perfect killing machine. Or he could go another route, somehow steal the Triforce from her, and dispose of her."

The duo sat in silence for a moment, processing all of their new information. A war was coming, Ganondorf had somehow returned from the Dark Relm, and the fourth piece of the Triforce would eventually be coming to Hyrule. The Triforce was held by a girl who was apparently totally ignorant of all of the stories and facts behind it. A girl that might not even be from this time and place judging by the clothes Zelda saw.

"Zelda, does this mean that that girl-"

"Wren Sheik, her name was, is, Wren."

"Right, Wren, does that mean that she is the Goddess incarnate? Each other piece of the Triforce has a corresponding Goddess, so what would make the fourth one any different. That would make her the original Goddess wouldn't it? The creator of the other three?"

"It would seem so, but the Goddess was dormant, unwilling, or maybe unable, to wake up and help her vessel. If the Goddess had made an appearance in that cell, Ganondorf's castle would've fallen from her power. Perhaps Wren's body wasn't strong enough and the Goddess didn't want to blow it to shreds. Perhaps she knew, or she hoped, we would save her."

Sheik leaned back in his chair; he had slept with a Goddess in his dream, and not just any Goddess, but the Creator. He wasn't impressed in the way some men might be, as though she was some sort of sexual conquest. He was more pleased that a Goddess would choose him as a partner.

In his dream she didn't seem like a Goddess though, just a regular girl.

Footsteps were coming down the stairs to the kitchen. It was still early and most of the cooks had come in from another entrance to allow for privacy; somehow Henrietta spread the word quickly that the kitchen was off limits for a time. The gait was even and sure, but definitely not stealthy like Sheik's or Zelda's. Sheik quickly raised his cowl back to his face.

Link's blond head appeared in the entryway, his hair was disheveled and, like Zelda, he still wore his nightclothes. Just a pair of loose fitting pants rested on his hip bones, he was naked from the waist up.

He eyed their now cold tea and smiled, "Well, having early morning tea without me I see. Rude, just rude for not inviting me."

Sheik snorted and Zelda rolled her eyes, "And what, dear husband, love of my life, perpetual thorn in my rear, has you up before dawn?"

Link's smile slid off of his face like it was made of warm butter, and he took a seat next to Zelda. Henrietta magically appeared again with hot tea for him and a warm up for the others, and was quickly through the door to the root cellar.

"Well, to be honest, I had a really strange dream and was hoping I could come down here and clear my head."

Sheik and Zelda glanced at each other, than back at Link.

"And why pray tell, are you two down here so early? Surely it wasn't to enjoy some cold tea and old bread." Link snapped his fingers and pointed an accusing finger at them, "Oh, I see what it is! You two are having an affair and the kitchen is the only place you two can truly get each other off." Link smirked at the two, suppressing the urge to laugh at his own joke.

Zelda's eyes almost rolled out of her head, "Yep, you caught us. I've harbored a love for Sheik here, who, by the way was raised like my a weird body guarding brother—"

"So any older brother ever."

"Mmmhhmm, but if you must know, we both had premonitions tonight, and by the sounds of it, you did too."

Link's eyebrows rose to his hairline, "Well, busy night for the Goddesses."


	4. Chapter 3

Link very quickly began eating his bread and tea, it wouldn't be too long before the trio would eat breakfast, but Link seemed to always be hungry. Sheik blamed his rigorous training regimen; even in this peaceful time, Zelda wanted to maintain a strong standing army, and it was Link's job to ensure they stayed in shape.

When Link wasn't at court, roaming Castle Town, or riding Epona through Hyrule Field, he could be seen commanding his handpicked elite forces; approximately fifty men, who in exchange for lifelong enlistment to the Queen's army, were allowed to live on the castle property. These men, along with their families, had all of their wants and needs provided for them, and were held in the highest esteem in Castle Town. Once the men were too old to go into battle, they were promoted as generals or diplomats. If they died on the battle field, their bodies, or what was left of them, were always retrieved and given a full military burial. Those that died of old age were shown similar respect in their death.

For one week per month, the entire standing militia was called to Hyrule Field to practice drills. They set up their own camp, cooked their own rations, learned how to dress wounds, and made sure their weapon skills remained strong. During this time, Link, his elite, Sheik, and occasionally Zelda, could be seen on horseback shouting commands to the men.

Once Link had finished almost half of the loaf of bread, he paused to look at the other two.

"I'm not going to lie guys, my dream was short, and strange. It's not going to make much sense if you are looking for something to be in chronological order. For the second half of it, the Goddess addressed me directly. Not Din, Nayru, or Farore, but the original Goddess. I mean, she was still in her vessel, but still."

"Our premonitions also involved the Goddess…" Sheik trailed off, he was still trying to piece everything together from his and Zelda's dreams. His was so euphoric while hers was incredibly violent. His had a girl, Wren, who was familiar with him, and therefore familiar with the castle and likely the Triforce.

On the other hand, Zelda's premonition painted Wren as a scared unknowing prisoner.

Which one would come true? Or would they both come true, starting with Zelda's and then his own?

Link interrupted Sheik's reverie, "The one with dark red-brown hair? Blue eyes with hints of green?"

Sheik and Zelda nodded.

"Okay, so I'm going to tell you exactly what happened in my dream, then we can see if we can fit all of the pieces together.

"Like I said, it was short, everything was random. First, the girl was there, she wasn't the Goddess yet, just a regular girl. She was learning how to use a bow, and I think it must've been one of her first few times using one because she was just absolutely awful. Too weak to pull the bow tight and couldn't aim worth a damn. Her skin was so pale too, it was as though she hadn't spent much time outside."

Link let out a little chuckle, "I was there coaching her on, telling her that she could only improve. She never once got discouraged, only determined.

"Then the dream sort of blurred and shifted. She was there again, notching arrows like an old pro. Not just regular arrows either, she was casting Din's fire on the tips. She was slightly tanned now, and her muscle tone was more defined.

"After this little vision the dream changed to her playing the harp with you Sheik. It was beautiful to hear it. Her body swayed with the music, kind of like you do when you think no one is watching."

Sheik blushed behind his cowl, in Link's dream he had taught Wren how to play the harp.

"Another shift, and she was sparing me with a dulled sword. I knew it was an exact replica of her own, only dulled, and she went after me like some sort of calculating animal. She waited until I attacked, parried, and then unleashed her own volleys. Her sword was smaller than the Master Sword, lighter, but far easier for her to wield. She managed to strike me on the side, and I swear to the Goddesses, I could feel it in my sleep. In the dream, I only caught my breath, smiled, and congratulated her. "

Sheik was stunned, "She managed to hit you?"

"I'm not unbeatable," another characteristic smirk, "damn near unbeatable, but not quite there yet. Plus, if she really is a Goddess, it's not surprising.

"Anyway, the dream shifted a fourth time, and there she was, lighting a massive Din's fire in the courtyard. She managed to draw it up to the grass line, pull it back in, and then launch it skyward, connecting it to her with a giant tail of fire. She then drew it back and diminished it. She was armored in a light chainmail, pants, and a woman's tunic over the mail. Next thing I know she is conjuring another fireball, enveloping herself in Nayru's love, and letting it crash down on her. The fire was never out of control, she blew it out before it hit the grass. After about a minute engulfed in this giant fireball, she emerged unscathed and still energetic."

Zelda's mouth had fallen open, and Sheik could only slowly shake his head in silent wonder.

"I swear, I could feel the heat coming off of these flames. Realistically, she shouldn't have been in the courtyard practicing this, but I think we couldn't let her leave. She was incredibly strong, but still mortal and vulnerable. The Goddess was making herself known, but had yet to reveal herself. I think we were preparing her for war; there was almost a sense of urgency. Maybe we couldn't let her leave because war was raging outside the town's walls.

"Then another shift, this one must've taken place before the one in the courtyard because she seemed so frail. We weren't in Castle town, it was just you and me Sheik, and the girl was on a cot before us. There was no one else around and I couldn't place where we were, all that I knew was that the girl was hurt. Her ankle was swollen and there was a large amount of blood on the bandages wrapped around her other leg. Yet, she was peaceful, just in a pleasant sleep. It was the kind of sleep you take after a tiring day, not the kind you find yourself in after sustaining an injury.

"Then, very, very, very slowly, the swelling on her ankle reduced. You had to really watch it to see, but the ankle was mending itself. Sheik, you began to unwrap the bandages on her leg. There was no injury, the only sign of any sort of puncture was a large bruise.

"I knew in my dream that this was a recent wound, and it would've been a very bad one. But, there she was, healing right before our eyes.

"Finally, the dream changed a final time. I found myself in the Sacred Realm, and I was kneeling before the girl. It was her body, but it wasn't her inside it. There was warmth coming off her, and for a bit she just stood there staring at me. I think the Goddess was trying to find a way into my dream.

"Finally she spoke, 'Arise dear Hero, you may face your Goddess.'

"I knew, even in the dream, the Goddess was now directly speaking to me. It was as though the rest of the dream had been glimpses into what could come, and now she was speaking right to me. It was in the moment, the Goddess spoke to me tonight.

"'Link, descendant of Heroes past, you have seen and understand your dream,' It wasn't a question, she was just stating facts, 'What you need to know is that my vessel, Wren, will be arriving in your time shortly. It will not be her choice; she will be lost and confused. She will know nothing of your world, but, as you have seen, she will learn quickly.

"'As soon as she arrives, she will begin to lose pieces of her past life. She will not remember where she came from, how she was raised, or even if she had any siblings. She will not arrive at the castle doors, dark magic will bring her here. I will do everything in my power to ensure that she does not land in Ganondorf's hands.'

"The news of Ganondorf's return only came as a small shock to me. Standing there in the Sacred Realm, talking directly to the Goddess in my dream, I knew dark forces had returned to our land.

"The Goddess continued, 'You must train her and protect her Link. You, Zelda, and even Sheik must all ensure that Wren has the abilities to fight for herself. I cannot escape my vessel; it would render her a mortal. She would lose all of her strength, and I fear it may even kill her. You cannot take the Triforce from her, doing that would kill her. You will not be able to free me, please, do not try. Instead, train her, and protect her.

"'I can make myself known inside her, much like I am now, but outside of the Sacred Realm these moments will be scarce. You will be able to wake me up in your world, but you will never be able to release me, understand?'

"I could only nod my head.

"'She possesses the fabled fourth piece of the Triforce.' At this, the Goddess turned her back to me, lifted her hair off of her neck, and there it was. Plain as day. A triangle glowed on the back of her neck, the tip reaching the base of her hairline, 'It will look like a red birthmark without my power flowing through it. I placed the mark on the back of her neck at birth for privacy and safety.'

"She faced me again, 'There will be a war Link. I have already alerted Zelda tonight, but I will repeat my words to you. You must prepare your army Link. You must alert all the tribal leaders around the kingdom. You must find my daughter's Triforce of Power. Gift it to Sheik, or keep it under lock and key, I do not care, but you must find and secure it. The Dark Lord is also searching for this piece. As you sleep, he is building an army, and sending scouts to temples, leaving no stone unturned. He has yet to find it, but he has a big head start.

"'Find my vessel Hero, alert the other friendly tribes. Train Wren, build up your army, and defeat the Dark Lord.

"'Wake up Hero.'

"And, just like that, I was awake."

A silence fell over the trio while Zelda and Sheik attempted to piece everything together. Finally, Link broke their reveries' by loudly clearing his throat, "So, you guys said you had premonitions tonight too?"

Zelda cut right to the chase, "Mine was graphic Link. In it, the girl was a prisoner, and nothing more than a plaything for Ganondorf's men. A Goddess spoke to me tonight as well, I can't say which one, but I would bet it was the same Goddess that spoke to you. The only thing relevant I got out of that dream was that your dark reincarnate is back as well as another demon. The second demon though, he seemed familiar, but I cannot place him, I will have to research-"

Sheik interrupted, "No, you also know that this girl was tortured so much that she was willing to help Ganondorf obtain her piece of the Triforce. It was as though the Goddess was showing you what could occur, not what will occur. You said she was scared, almost pitiful, that is a stark contrast to mine or Link's dreams."

"So Zelda has a nightmare in which the girl is being tortured, I saw flashes of the girl growing physically and had a personal conversation with the Goddess, what about you Sheik."

Sheik hesitated for a moment, he didn't what to give all of the details of his premonition, "I was with the girl…. She called me by my true first name."

Link leaned back in his chair and let out a low whistle, all Zelda could do was stare at Sheik as though he had sprouted horns.

"And, as you both know, my people, at least my particular tribe, don't go around saying their true names just for the hell of it. Only the Impas were allowed to give their name."

The Impas of the past were the only members of Sheik's tribe to give out their true names, and that traces back to the original Impa, the one that saved the Goddess's vessel after she fell out of the sky. All reincarnations since then have been allowed to use their names. They were allowed to be unmasked for the same reason; Impa, no matter what age she is reborn in, will always be a protector of the Goddess.

Zelda gave a small nod. There had been an Impa in their time, but they buried her ten years ago when they were all still children. Impa had acted as Zelda's tutor and Sheik's trainer. Link had never met her, only coming into Zelda's life by pure happenstance during a royal ball.

There wouldn't be another Impa for several generations.

"The only reason we give our names," Sheik continued on, "Is if we know we are in love with the person. We only give our names to our spouses, or our future spouses. Once it is said, we can't take it back, so we have to know for certain that the person will never betray us. Think of it like a vow; our name is our most prized possession, it is ours, and only ours, and to share it with someone is something incredibly personal."

A stunned silence followed this revelation.

"But… Wren said your name in your dream. So, you gave it to her…Sheik, we don't even know your name, and Zelda has known you her whole life. I mean, me I get, but not telling Zelda…. " Link trailed off.

Zelda shot link a dark glare. She was not one to question the Sheikah customs, while Link was a bit less choosy with his words. It had been one of the few points of contention between the pair.

Sheik ignored Link, "The Goddess didn't address me directly in my dream, so maybe what happened in mine isn't in my destiny." Sheik let out a small sigh; he sincerely hoped his premonition would come true.

Zelda was still putting the pieces together, "So, three dreams, two of which had the Goddess speak to the dreamer directly, and in only one of those two did the Goddess address the dreamer face to face. We have Sheik's dream involving a personal connection, Link's dream with training, strength and the Goddess herself, and my dream filled with capture, rape and torture.

"The Goddess knew what emotion to play on: my empathy, pity, and fear, Sheik's desire for a personal connection, and Link's need for strength and heroism. She didn't show me a pleasant dream with Wren because she knew that would not play on my emotions as well as a dream involving rape and torture. Same can be said for your premonitions."

Zelda continued on, "I think what we have are all possibilities of what could come, with my dream foreshadowing what will come if we do not succeed in getting to her before Ganondorf.

"We have a girl coming here from a different time and place, someone who will be totally ignorant of our culture. Sheik may have a lover, and our kingdom could have a very strong warrior.

"We have a war coming. Ganondorf is back, although he seemed young, so perhaps it is not the Ganondorf that was sealed away in the dark realm, but instead a reincarnation. We have to warn the tribes, and alert them to the coming of the Goddess.

"And, above all, we have the fourth piece of the Triforce and a new quest to find Din's piece."

Zelda pushed her chair back and stood, "I need to send word to tribal leaders and call a courtly meeting. I plan on sending a messenger to Kakariko Village right away, another will go to the Zoras and Gorons.

"Link, alert your standing militia of what will come, tell them to keep a sharp eye out for dark forces and an out of place auburn haired girl. Keep things vague, do not let your militia know about the fourth piece of the Triforce. Your elite generals will have to handle today's training; I need you with me at court.

"Sheik, I will need you to contact the Sheikah tribes in whatever way you see fit. You can tell them about the Triforce; out of all the tribes, the Sheikah would be the ones that would absolutely have to know. I also need you to research past demons for me. I want to know the name of the pale black eyed man from my premonition. Your presence at court would be welcome, but not necessary."

She glanced at a clock ticking away on a wall across the kitchen, "It's already seven. Meet me in the dining hall for breakfast in half an hour." With a swish of her nightgown, she was gone, back up the stairs to her chambers.

Link gave Sheik a small grin, "Well, I guess we have our orders." And he followed Zelda up the stairs.

Sheik readjusted his cowl, decided it would be better to garb himself in more traditional Sheikah clothing, plus, he still needed to find a maid to clean his sheets. He exited on Link's heels.

Henrietta appeared shortly after, cleared the dishes off the table, and made a mental note that she would have another royal mouth to feed. She would have to somehow find a way to prepare food fit for the Goddess.


	5. Chapter 4

Wren's on campus apartment seemed miles away, especially when she hauling four burlap sacks full of groceries and facing a biting winter wind. The weatherman warned of an oncoming winter blizzard, forecasting anywhere from six to eight inches of snow with twenty mile an hour wind gusts. The snow would drift all over creation, causing both cars and people to get stuck.

And on top of that, a freezing sleet had coated nearly everything just last night. So the people of Greenwood Nebraska were forced to scrape a thick layer of ice off of windshields before their morning commute. The sleet had even caused power outages in other parts of the state; power lines weighed down by the freezing rain snapped from their poles. Thankfully, no such outages were reported in Greenwood.

Wren was on Christmas vacation, opting to stay on campus instead of going back to her foster family; she highly doubted they wanted her back anyway; the family that she got stuck with at the age of twelve when her parents both succumbed to alcohol poisoning did never love her. They chose to ignore her, and they almost seemed relieved when she told them she would be going to college. It was as though they were happy to have her out of the house, even though she did nothing wrong except have two dead parents.

Her foster father, Jeremy, had even called her, "His little tax break" a few times.

Wren had three blissful weeks alone. Her three other roommates had, naturally, decided to go home for the holidays. They all asked multiple times if she wanted to join any of them at their parents' places; Wren was grateful, and touched by their offers, but she had to politely decline. What she needed, even though she always got along very well with her roommates, was some alone time.

The trip to the store had taking longer than she anticipated. Not only was Christmas three days away, the oncoming snowstorm had also whipped people into frenzy. Bottled water, bread, peanut butter, jam, milk, eggs, canned soup, frozen vegetables, and frozen pizzas were all nearly sold out. Aisle after aisle was crammed full of people in a hurry, buffeting each other, trying to beat out a snowstorm that wasn't predicted to land for another six hours. Women fighting over gallons of milk, babies crying, and old women clogging up aisles in the motorized scooters had tested Wren's patience.

After an hour of eye rolling and fighting crowds, Wren had finally got what she needed for her own personal Christmas dinner (a whole chicken, lemons, garlic, a garlicky rice side, and some "fresh" lettuce), as well as some other provisions. She hurried herself through a self-checkout and began the ten block trek back to campus.

Wren had no car, a very good friend had helped her move to campus, and her bike was stored in their apartment three floors up. Walking it down the stairs and trying to ride it on ice with bags full of groceries would've been far too much of a hassle.

Her on campus apartment complex was basically abandoned, only a few foreign exchange students and kids with jobs were left behind. Wren was thankful that she had received a full ride to this college, and by taking the money from various grants and loans for her personal use, she wouldn't have to get a job until next year. She didn't have to worry about money for a car, or a ride to and from a job, nor did she have to worry about her cost of living. She stayed on campus all year around, opting to take summer classes to keep her scholarship, and would graduate in two years at the age of twenty-one with a degree in early childhood education. After that, she would apply all over the state, buy a used car with whatever loan she could get, and start her life elsewhere.

Wren picked up the pace has she got closer to her apartment complex. She was ready for a nice winter shut-in. She would roast the chicken on Christmas Day, use the leftovers for sandwiches, and tonight she planned on binging on Netflix and hot chocolate. Mac and cheese was on the menu for supper.

She would be a kid again.

Her building was roughly a hundred yards away when she felt a shiver go up her spin. It was as though someone had taken a feather and ran it from the small of her back, over the birthmark on her neck, and right up into her hairline. She stopped to look behind her and could've sworn she felt someone looking back. She always carried her keys looped between her fingers with the sharp end facing out, a self-defense move she picked up on some YouTube video. With two keys and a small FOB, she could pierce someone's face with one punch, giving her enough time to get away.

She turned back, took a few steps, and turned again. This time she thought she heard someone whispering in the wind. She couldn't understand the words, but she could've sworn that someone was talking to her. The voice was gone as quickly as it came. Just the wind blowing through the trees on campus.

A dense fog had settled around the area, odd for this type of weather. The small snowflakes were stinging her cheeks; Wren had had enough, rolled her eyes at her own paranoia, there was almost no one on campus this time of year, and surely a predator wouldn't be out in this weather. She turned back to the building.

Except, she could no longer see the building. It had been obscured by the fog.

Wren began to talk to herself as she started walking again, trying to assure herself that she would be okay, "Just keep walking, stay alert, you have your keys and FOB ready to get into the building. You know where it is, you've walked in fog a million times before. When I get into the building I can just lock myself in and have a nice bowl of mac and cheese. Maybe I will watch some dumb Christmas special on TV tonight. Ooo, or I could binge on Mythbusters reruns on Netflix."

The fog was only getting thicker, and her heavy winter coat was now soaked through, "Just keep going, not much further now. I will get home, unpack all of these groceries, play some video games, watch some TV and have my bowl of mac and cheese. Maybe I will make a tube of cinnamon rolls tomorrow, Chelsea said I could bake them—"

The whisper was back, and this time Wren knew she had heard it. It was deep, masculine, enough to send another shiver up Wren's spine. She quickened her pace, slipped on the patch of ice that always seemed to collect right in front of her building, and began to fall.

She threw her hands out to catch herself, losing her groceries and purse in the process, but never met the pavement. She just kept falling, face first, into the fog. The pavement beneath her was gone, replaced by more fog.

She half expected to see a white rabbit hop through the fog. She smiled, what a stupid thought for this type of situation.

Strong hands, strong enough that she could feel them through her heavy coat, gripped Wren's shoulders and began to pull her back upright. Once righted, she began to spin, not on purpose, but as though she was some sort of giant top. Beginning to feel nauseas, Wren closed her eyes, tucked her arms around her head, and worked herself into the fetal position as best as she could. She managed to bend herself over at the waist with her arms still protecting her head.

The spinning slowed, and she landed with a very unceremonious thump. Her right ankle had twisted beneath her when she fell, and it was that pain that prompted Wren uncover her head and open her eyes.

She was in a forest. Trees surrounded her on all sides, and a small deer trail was the only path she saw. It was warm here too, pleasant, and she could just barely see the sun through the canopy.

Other than her twisted ankle, she was unscathed. Her heavy coat protected her from landing too hard, and not a single twig punctured her jeans.

Wren took off her winter hat, shoved it inside her coat pocket, unzipped her coat, and asked the million dollar question, "Where am I?"

She stood, found out that she could put minimal weight on her ankle, and took her surroundings into account. Forests like this were not common on the plains of Nebraska. Giant trees shot up from the forest floor, taller than any tree Wren had ever seen. A sense of oldness fell over her, as though the forest itself was telling her that it had been around for ages.

Wren's mind raced. Maybe someone at the store managed to drug her somehow, or maybe they got her on campus and brought her here. But, where was here? Exactly how long was she spinning for? It only felt like a couple of moments, but maybe whatever drug was in her system distorted her perception of time.

It had to have been whoever was talking to her through the fog. That disembodied voice, that was the person that brought her here.

"Okay, so, I may or may not be in Nebraska. I am definitely not on campus, I don't have my purse or any food. The weather is different, so, yeah, I'm not in Nebraska. I have no idea how I got here, and, of course, my ankle is sprained. And to top it all off, there's no fucking white rabbit to guide my way!"

She took off her coat and weighed her options. If she stayed, someone might come looking for her. Would she want that someone to come for her though? Was that someone watching her now? Maybe another hunter or hiker would come by and help her. Survival shows always tell you to stay put… but those don't really take into account kidnap. Maybe this was some sort of sick joke. Maybe some cruel prankster was filming how she would react in this situation.

She considered the small deer trail to her right. God only knew where that took her, or even if it led anywhere. Hell, it could stop in a dead end, and then she'd have to walk back and start from square-fucking-one.

What about food and water? If she found herself on high ground she could go downhill to try and search for a fresh source of water. But then how would she boil it? Not to mention walking on her ankle would be slow.

But what if no one came for her? What if she waited and waited until she died from exposure or starvation?

Wren bit her lip and headed down the deer path.

* * *

After what felt like an entire morning of walking, the deer trail opened to a larger path. Wren guessed that it was a hunter's path. Her ankle still throbbed, but thankfully she had found a dead tree branch that was just the right size for a walking stick. She had tied her winter coat around her waist; she didn't want to discard it in case she was stuck in this forest overnight. She had cursed her knockoff Ugg boots more than a few times, they were flat footed, too hot, and flimsy. Of course she had worn a sweater under her winter coat; she had rolled the sleeves of the garment up hours ago. She knew she stank, she was hungry and tired, and beginning to get irritable; if she managed to trip over another tree root she would lose it.

The challenges of the forest were not the only thing bothering Wren; she was slowly losing her memory. At first, she tried to think of her roommates to boost her spirits, but she couldn't remember what they looked like. Is Chelsea white? Maybe that was Angie… no, that's not right, Angie is black. That doesn't make sense, there weren't a lot of black people in her neck of the woods; this pun made her chuckle. But, it was college after all; they would draw students from all over the state.

She tried to play simple memory games to keep herself occupied, "Okay, my name is Wren. I grew up in Nebraska, or maybe Iowa, in the small town of Greenwood. No, I didn't grow up in Greenwood, that's where I went to school. Or maybe Greenwood is my last name? That doesn't seem right… Anyway, I had three roommates, Chelsea, Angie, and Mallory. They were all kind to me. I can say that for certain, but I don't know how they were kind to me. Something about cinnamon rolls." The sound of her own voice was her only companion.

"My foster parents were cruel to me. Well, not cruel. Neglectful? They didn't like me, I know that. I got stuck with them when I was fifteen, no, that's not right, I'm only nineteen and I lived with them longer than four years. Anyway, my parents were killed somehow. It was their fault…"

After a few hours of this, towards midafternoon, the hunter's trail opened to a dirt road. It cut a large swath down the middle of the trees, seeming both natural and manmade. Thankfully, the terrain remained level, and the road would (hopefully) lead her to a town where she could seek help.

The sun was sinking and a refreshing breeze had picked up. Wren's memory games had failed her. She couldn't recall her last name, or any faces from her past. The names' of her roommates had escaped her as well. She knew she came from an entirely different from this place, but otherwise her mind was a blank slate.

Her survival instincts had started to kick in. She would have to find a place to bunk for the night. Somewhere sheltered where she wouldn't have to attempt to build a fire but still close to the road. She needed a place safe from predators with minimal bugs. Somewhere dry.

Wren knew it was would be stupid to try to walk all night to find civilization. She needed rest, her body would be tired from lack of food and water and she couldn't strain herself further. Plus, if she wandered all night and didn't find a town, she would be screwed for the next day.

Just as she was about to wander from the road to find a place to settle for the night, she heard movement up ahead. Someone was walking on the trail just around a bend!

Her heart skipped a beat and she dared to smile. Movement! Maybe it was a hunter! Someone who could help her out of her! Someone with food and water! She picked up the pace as best as she could with her ankle.

She rounded the small bend in the road and then saw them. They weren't men; Wren almost ran headlong into what could only be called a monster.

It was a pig mixed with a bulldog. The nose was flat and its ears dropped like a hound's. It had two tusks jutting from its lower jaw, over its upper lip, ending in sharp points on either side of its nose. The monster's skin was a pale red, and it held a giant spear in one hand and carried a large wooden shield in the other. The thing was a giant, towering over Wren by a full two feet. It wore only a loin cloth.

After a moment of pure shock and horror, Wren noticed several smaller monsters behind him. A few were riding giant hogs, some wore wraps around their faces, a handful carried bows, but almost all of them had spears.

Wren stupidly squeaked out a "sorry," dropped her walking stick, turned on her heel and ran.

She could hear them thundering behind her, the whole group of monsters was chasing her.

 _Think Wren, think. Monsters! That doesn't make sense, there's no such thing as monsters! Well chickadee you're looking at them right now. Can't outrun a boar, will have to outsmart them! There! Go there!_

She skidded off the road, down a small side path, and found herself clumsily running downhill into a clearing.

 _Hide, hide, find a place to hide! Don't get caught!_

She stopped; there was nowhere to hide here. She was stuck, in a clearing, monsters right on her tail. Then she spotted it, an abnormally tall patch of grass just across the clearing, not even fifty feet away. Maybe, just maybe she could flatten herself down in that enough to get out of site. She sprinted towards the grass, her ankle screaming in protest.

She ran, but wasn't fast enough. Her left leg was suddenly on fire and she fell. Glancing over her shoulder she saw something that turned her stomach; a spear was jutting out of her left calf, just below her knee, blood was seeping out of the puncture. She was light headed, she knew she was caught, but she kept crawling towards the grass. The monsters were on her now, descending into the clearing, the mounted ones staying up top.

There was a faint glow coming from the edge of the grass, a pale blue light bobbing in and out of the tall rushes. Wren was almost hypnotized; the blue light was coming from a tiny person, a tiny person with wings. He was only two inches tall, his wings dragonfly like, and was staring with an open mouth right at Wren.

"Help me, please…. Help me." She didn't know why she said it, the man was too small to fight a horde of monsters, there was nothing he could do. His light faded and he was gone.

Something grabbed Wren's twisted ankle, hoisted her up so she was upside down, and brought her face to face with the giant tusked monster. The spear remained in her left leg, it began to tug and sag under its own weight. Blackness crept into her peripheral vision; she was going to pass out.

The monster smiled, snorted and grunted something in his language. The spear was jerked out of her leg and, with a shout, Wren let the blackness overtake her.


	6. Chapter 5

The rumbling of the cart over the uneven road eventually woke Wren. Her mind was foggy, she barely registered that she had been taken by the monsters. They took her alive at least, so that was a good start.

She was bound; rough ropes had been tightly tied around her ankles and wrists, the latter of which had, of course, been forced behind her back. Her ankle throbbed painfully, the monster picked her up with such strength that he probably bruised the bone. The rough rope around her ankles only agitated it further.

Her other leg wasn't doing much better. The wound had been roughly wrapped, the rags wrapped over her jeans, but it was still bleeding. Warm blood had soaked through her pants and into her boot, she could feel it soaking into the faux sheep skin and squishing around her toes. Her winter coat was gone.

A cloth bag of some sort had been placed over her head; she could only make out shapes through the material, but no details. The bag had been secured with a loose noose around her neck. Her mouth was stuffed with a rag that was tied with another rope running around her head. The rope had rubbed the corners of her mouth raw; she tasted blood as well as another substance on the rag.

On top of it all, her body was also very hot. She wasn't on fire, not yet, but it felt as though she'd spent twenty minutes too long in a sauna.

Wren ran her tongue over the rag, mentally kicked herself, and tried her best to set her tongue against the roof of her mouth.

 _Poison, no wonder I can't think straight. I bet that's what's giving me a fever too._

Wren hung her head and tried to gather her thoughts, but it was useless. Her mind seemed to be moving in slow motion, and all she wanted to do was go back to sleep. She willed her body to stay awake, focusing on her various aches and pains. Her hands were set awkwardly in the small of her back and she had been forced to sit up, her feet flat in front of her.

She couldn't see any hint of daylight through her blind. The breeze was still there, so she deduced they were travelling in an open cart, visible to anyone on the road. Another bit of good luck. Any Good Samaritan traveling along the road would see her and possibly try to help.

 _Unless this whole world was filled with monsters._

 _No, that's not right. I saw a fairy. Fairies aren't monsters._

A pothole in the road elicited a deep groan from Wren. The monsters only laughed. It looked like five of the smaller ones were riding in the cart with her; the cart was likely being pulled by the giant boars, there were no horses or oxen with this group.

Another pothole, more groans, more laughter. The monster sitting next to her elbowed her ribs and snorted. She couldn't bite back a cry of pain at this new bit of hurt, and the monsters squealed in delight.

A third dip in the road, this one was followed by silence. Something had swished past Wren's head; the monster who had elbowed her suddenly dropped to the ground. The others in the cart were squealing.

The cart jerked to a stop and Wren smelled the irony twinge of blood. From the sounds of if, the remaining monsters were evacuating the cart. Wren was alone.

A brief beat of stillness. The trees even stood still, the breeze was gone. An odd sense of calm fell over Wren.

 _Oh good, I'm being saved._

And the chaos erupted around her, more squeals, more blood, another swish right by Wren's head, followed by a dull thud. Wren quickly ducked down into the cart, trying to roll on her side. Her body screamed in protest.

She came face to face with a dead monster. The bag didn't do anything to obscure her vision of him; she had landed too close. An arrow was sticking out of his temple, and his dead eyes stared right at her. The smell of blood and monster made Wren gag.

 _Oh God, don't throw up! The gag! The bag!_

 _Don't puke!_

 _Don't puke, don't puke._

 _Deep breath._

 _Close your eyes so you don't have to look at it._

Wren managed to awkwardly roll onto her other side. She could still hear the swishes zooming through the air. Nothing else, only what she guessed to be was the sound of arrows.

 _How stupid would it be for my captors to be killed and me left her to die? That would be my luck._

Wren's mind was still foggy; she registered too late the sound of giant footsteps coming towards the cart. She was being pulled out of the cart by the rope around her neck. She dropped three feet onto the ground, landing on her back, knocking the wind out of her. The spear puncture in her leg was reopened, more blood trickled down her leg and Wren was on the verge of tears. Before she could even let out a sob, she was hoisted up by the rope, her toes barely making purchase on the ground; she could hardly draw a single breath. Wren felt a sharp blade against her throat.

 _The big one has me. He's holding me hostage. I'm about to asphyxiate. Fuck._

 _Maybe I'm not being saved._

The monster was laughing, an awful low snorting sound, and pressing the blade tighter against Wren's throat.

A male voice, "You really think using her as a human shield is going to save your life. Pathetic." A swish, a thud, and the rope around Wren's throat relaxed. In a split second she inhaled as much as possible through her nose and crumpled to the ground, her knees landed first, then the rest. She didn't have time to roll onto her side and fell flat, barely managing to turn her head to the side before landing.

She saw the outline of a single pair of legs approach her. The noose was removed, than the bag, and she finally saw one of her saviors.

The only thing giving her sex away was her chest, which had been covered by a tight fitting, long sleeve brown top. Her pants were brown as well and she wore a knee length brown cloak, the hood covering the entire upper half of her face so only her mouth was visible. If Wren's mind had been clearer, she would've noticed the green streaks running through all of the woman's garments; camouflage, perfectly designed for the forest.

Before she undid the rest of Wren's binds, the woman shifted wren into a sitting position, shimmied behind her and knelt. She pushed Wren's hair off her neck and let out a low whistle. Wren was in too much of a haze to even care. She was losing the battle against all her aches and pains.

 _My birthmark…_

The woman laid Wren on her back and shifted so she knelt in front on her.

"This is her. Send a messenger to Kakariko, Renado needs to know that we will leave for his village tomorrow night. Another messenger needs to run to Hyrule; send our fastest man, he needs to be there by tomorrow afternoon. Tell the Sheikah guard there that we plan to arrive in Kakariko the morning after next. Alert the Queen that Bokoblins are also on the move in our forest." Two warriors, barely visible behind this woman, dashed down the road as quick as startled deer.

Wren managed to count six remaining cloaked figures, but movement in the trees along the road betrayed far more.

The woman smiled down at her, "I'm sorry to keep you waiting Goddess, please forgive me." She undid the gag and cut away the ropes binding Wren's hands and feet.

Wren flexed her jaw as best as she could without further tearing the corners of her mouth, "I… I think I've been drugged. I'm tired…. I can't think. My ankle hurts, and my other leg his bleeding. I'm hot…" Wren trailed off, she was doing everything in her power not to break down in tears.

 _Ugh, that was my voice. I sound like hell._

The woman picked up her gag, sniffed it, and then even licked it.

 _Gross._

"Poison, but only a mild one. It will work through your system quickly. You are likely hot from fever, hopefully not infection. We will get you better clothes and properly dress your wounds as soon as we can."

"Oh, well, that's good. Poison. Great. I've never been poisoned before, new experiences all day today. I got to see my first giant pig monster today, so that was cool." Wren found this exceptionally witty and began to giggle.

 _Stupid, you're dying, stop laughing._

 _But it was just so funny!_

 _No, not really._

The woman let out a small chuckle, "Those pig monsters are called Bokoblins, but now is not the time; you're in shock. Goddess, I am going to give you something that is going to put you to sleep. Is that okay? It's going to make transporting you far easier on everyone. You won't feel any pain, and it might help you heal." The woman produced a small bottle containing a violet liquid and uncorked it.

Wren didn't even hesitate, "Of course it's okay. Please, put me to sleep, I hurt so much." Wren paused for a moment, she realized she had just allowed this stranger to drug her into a stupor, "What's your name?"

 _Good, you have a name. So if she were to drag you off into some cannibalistic ritual, you would at least know who going to eat you._

A smile ghosted the woman's lips, "My name is Sha'Lyn, and I am the leader of the Forest Sheikah."

She cradled Wren's head and tipped the bottle towards her lips. The violet concoction inside tasted terrible, Wren did her best to swallow it without gagging.

Pleasant warmth crept over her; it was like she could feel the medicine coursing through her veins. It flowed down her throat, settled in her stomach, spread to her toes and fingertips.

Wren smiled and leaned further into the woman, completely at her mercy, "That's a nice name, Sha'Lyn." And for the second time in twenty four hours, she let blackness overtake her.

* * *

Wren's dreams were fevered and strange. Visions of Bokoblins swam in and out, warping from grotesque caricatures to mini demons that crawled out of her very pores. When Wren cried out and tried to brush them off, they clung to her with their spears; sharp little things that, no matter how hard Wren pulled at them, would never come out.

The dream blurred, the demons were gone, replaced very slowly with another image.

Wren was on the edge of a vast plain, in the distance a man with hair made of fire rode a skeletal horse through small outcroppings and farms. His skin was black as obsidian and his eyes glowed orange. He was huge, even sitting on the horse Wren could tell he stood over seven feet tall. The demon was muscular, almost disgustingly so. He was armored to the teeth and he carried a vast broadsword but no shield.

He was leading an army of monsters: giant lizard men, more Bokoblins, six and a half foot tall skeletons wielding swords and shields, and mummies that froze anyone in their path with a single screech.

The horse had eyes that burned red, a dead mane, and dead skin that hung off of it in flaps. It was strong and fast, even though it looked as though it had only recently been dug out of a grave. The man on fire had attached a pole to his horse's saddle; it rose five feet off of its shoulder. The pole had the severed head of a woman spiked to the end, her long blonde hair flowing behind her; the head's eyes were open, her jaw was slack, she stared ahead in a silent scream. She wore a very ornate crown that was covered with blood. Even though she seemed miles away, Wren could've counted each jewel in the woman's crown.

The man rode fast across the plane, burning everything in his path. He torched entire villages, let his demons murder the people trying to flee, never stopping in his destruction. Only orange flames and smoke were visible in the night sky; there were no stars or moon.

A knight on a chestnut stead rode to meet the man. He was clad in green, light chain armor under his tunic, a golden helmet adorned with triangles embossed on either side set on head. The knight wielded a smaller sword in one hand, the reins of the horse in another. He also had a shield on his back, as well as a belt full of other small daggers. His boots sat just below his knees, and Wren could see a dagger set in each.

His eyes were blue, and a mix of pain, sadness, and fury was etched across his face. He rode with his jaw set; Wren saw tears forming in his eyes.

Wren knew the outcome before the demon and the knight even met. She was on the edge of the battlefield, a vast, never ending distance between her and them. She ran, but it was like running against a hot wind; one step back for every two steps she took forward, she would never catch the knight to warn him.

She screamed, yelled at the green knight to stop. Wanting nothing more than to save his life.

"Link! No, Link! He will kill you! Don't leave me here alone Link! I can't do it!" Her voice was swept away as soon as the words left her mouth.

The green knight, Link, met the demonic man. Link stood in his stirrups, jumped off of his horse, and slashed at the enemy on his way down. The demon fell off of his horse, rolled, and stood. Link had managed to cut the pole carrying the woman's head down. Both the horses fled to the edge of the battlefield, the two fighters left alone.

The dark knight chuckled, "Well, that was dramatic…"

Link was in no mood; he grabbed the shield off of his back and attacked with the force of an irate tiger.

For every stab Link attempted, the dark knight had a counter. He parried all of Link's attacks, seemingly bored; it was like watching a much older child tease a smaller one by letting him think he was stronger. The dark night had yet to land a blow; he was letting Link tire himself out.

Wren was still running, the distance between her and the fighters never getting any shorter. Her breath hitched in her chest and she had a side stitch.

Link stepped back, breathing heavy from his onslaught, "Why won't you attack met Ganondorf? I'm done with the games. Face me like a man, not like a coward!"

Ganondorf chuckled his deep rolling laugh again, "My little Hero. I think I've already killed you without even landing a single blow." He glanced at the decapitated head, still attached to the pike, the crown had rolled a small distance away, "Wouldn't you agree?"

Link growled, flicked his head like a fly was irritating him, and faced his opponent, tears streaked his face, "You had no right to kill her Ganondorf. No reason—"

"No Link, I had every reason to kill your Queen. She would've destroyed me had I not. She sheltered the Goddess, who ran at the first chance she got. Where is she by the way? Hiding like some sort of coward? I thought the Goddess was immortal, strong, powerful, all knowing, and brave.

"Did she abandon you Link? Did your Goddess leave you when she couldn't fight anymore? Did she run scared when she saw that I had the Triforce of Power?"

Wren found herself yelling again, "No Link! I didn't run, I'm right here. I'm here Link. I'm with you! I just can't get to you!"

Link blinked, lowered his sword and shield slightly, his jaw quivered.

"No Link! Don't lose faith in me, please, don't lose faith." Tears flowed down Wren's cheeks as she ran.

"That's what I thought Hero. Your Goddess is gone. You couldn't protect her and she was forced to flee. That's too bad, because now you are stuck here with me, no Queen, and no hope. Your bit of the Triforce is inferior to mine, you know it, I know it, even your Goddess knew it, and she left you."

Ganondorf attacked, far faster than a man of his stature should have been able to. Before Link could raise his shield, Ganondorf was on him, driving his broadsword down on Link's shoulder, severing him diagonally through to his other hip.

Wren screamed. Her running slowed, she tripped herself up on something and fell hands first to the ground. She stayed on all fours and wept.

Link didn't even have time to gasp before he fell to the ground, cut into two pieces. His gold helmet rolled off of his head, landing at the demon's feet, where it was crushed.

Ganondorf bent down, picked up Link's top half by his blond hair, letting all of his innards fall to the ground in a sickening thump. He smirked, and severed the head clean off. A gush of blood flowed out of the torso as it fell.

He gathered the pole holding the woman's head, refitted the crown, attached it back to his horse, which had been waiting for his master to finish his business, and contemplated what to do with his newly gained trophy.

An idea came to him; he produced a length of rope out of one of the horse's saddlebags, opened Link's jaw to have it clamp down on it. He wrapped another length of rope vertically around the head to keep the mouth closed, the two ropes crossing over Link's nose.

Ganondorf moved to the back of his horse, lifted the steed's tail, and secured the head right below the horse's ass.

"What a fitting place for a disgraced king."

The horse whinnied, he seemed to be chuckling with his master.

Ganondorf mounted his steed and rode off into the darkness.

The dream shifted again to nothing but blackness, leaving Wren still sobbing on the ground.

"Arise Goddess," a voice, feminine and familiar. Wren remained on the ground, her sobs shaking her to the core. She knew, deep down, that she had just witnessed her best friend's murder.

"Crying on the ground will do you no good. Arise so I can talk with you."

Wren rose, wiped her eyes and the snot dripping out of her nose. She sniffed and gulped.

"That was disgusting Wren. Very unbecoming."

Wren was face to face with herself. The woman in front of her looked like her, and yet it wasn't her. There was something different, but nothing incredibly noticeable. Wren was reminded of a children's puzzle where the child would have to spot ten minute differences between two pictures.

Her reflection smiled, it was like she'd read Wren's mind, "You're looking at yourself with no imperfections Wren."

The voice wasn't hers. It was too feminine, whereas Wren's had always carried a slightly deeper tone.

Wren managed to sputter out a response in her own voice, "No imperfections?"

Her reflection smiled again, "Mmhhhmmm, the Triforce will do that to a person. Well, not all people, only people who truly deserve the Goddesses' love will have their imperfections erased."

Wren noticed that this reflection didn't carry the blackheads on the top of her nose that usually plagued her. She also didn't have the mole on her neck. To top it off, it looked as though this image had no need to ever have to pluck her eyebrows, they fell in a perfect arc over her blue-green eyes.

"The Triforce?"

"What you have been calling a birthmark, the one on the back of your neck, is, in reality, a very ancient, very powerful, artifact. You possess the fabled fourth piece of the Triforce, and with it, you can do great good or awesome evil. The fourth piece belonged to the original Goddess, the one that saved her people by splitting the earth itself in two, sending her people skyward to safety.

"But now is not the time for a history lesson Wren. You will wake up soon. You will find yourself in the custody of the Forest Sheikah. Do not fear them, they will not harm you. In fact, they will do everything in their power to protect you.

"What you just witnessed was what could come to pass should you not access your inner powers. Darkness will overtake this land, fear and sadness will spread like a disease. Hundreds of people will die, and the Hero will fail."

Wren stood there dumbly and just let her reflection talk. She accepted everything her perfect mirror image was saying without a second thought. She vaguely recalled being rescued by the Sheikah, almost as though it happened in another lifetime. She had no reason not to trust them.

"You have a Goddess inside of you Wren. An ancient Goddess with ancient power. You will soon meet people who can help you tap into that power. They will help you defeat the evil that has begun, once again, to roam this land."

Wren interrupted, "I'm not a Goddess." It sounded stupid, like a weak lie, even to her.

The smallest hint of displeasure crossed her reflection's face, but it was gone as soon as it came, "You know that's not true Wren. You know you've always been different. You just called it a strong immune system. Never getting sick, having small cuts heal within an hour instead of a day. Not breaking your leg when you fell down the stairs at your foster parent's home.

"Listen to the people around you. Heed their advice, and give everything your all. The road ahead is rocky Wren; you will face many perils in your journey. Trust those around you but also trust your instincts. A Goddess's instincts are never wrong.

"You will have to face the man in this dream, Ganondorf. You will have to kill him Wren, and lock his soul, what's left of it, away in the dark realm. You will have to face him alone, but only after you train with the best warriors in this land. You will have to be brave and never let your nerve fail you.

"And the sooner you wake up, the better."

And Wren was awake, slowly opening her eyes to see a ceiling made of dark wood, and light streaming through a window. She hurt all over, and didn't want to move her head to look around. She was struggling to keep her eyes open; it felt like each of her eyelids weighed ten pounds.

Movement to her right betrayed someone else in the room with her. Soon she found a hand on her forehead, it was cool and pleasant.

"I thought you'd never wake up. You were thrashing around something terrible. We almost had to tie you down to prevent you from injuring yourself."

Sha'Lyn's face hovered over hers. She still had her hood up, but Wren saw a smile on her face.

"I bet you're hungry."

Wren didn't want to talk, she felt like it would hurt too much to even move her jaw, but her stomach grumbled an answer.


	7. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: This chapter was a nightmare for me to write. I typed it out once, edited it, made a giant plot hole that I had to fix later, screwed up the time frame (which I still don't think I got right, feel free to comment on it if my math is wrong!), and had to leave out so much in order to keep the story going. I wanted to add more characters in this chapter, a librarian and a mage to name a few, but I couldn't without adding unnecessary filler. I ended up deleting an entire section about how the Sheikah raise their children since it didn't really add much to the chapter._

 _I even caught Sha'Lyn referring to Wren by name once!_

 _So, if you spot any errors, please let me know so I can fix them. Plotting out time frames is not my strong suite, especially since I have to account for both days and nights._

 _Oh, and before I forget, I would like to say thank you to the people who have stuck with this story so far. It seems like it's taking forever for our protagonist to even meet The Queen, The Hero and The Sheik, but I didn't want to have her land right in their laps. That would've been far to convenient._

 _That was a long author's note. Sorry._

* * *

Sha'Lyn left to go get food; Wren wasn't even sure should would be able to eat, her body ached so badly. She lay in the bed, under a heavy and comfortable quilt, and willed herself not to fall back asleep by taking stock of her situation.

 _1\. Moving is going to really hurt…_

 _2\. It's daytime, probably early afternoon judging by the amount of sunshine coming through that window. I've been asleep all night and the afternoon… that's what, seventeen hours?_

 _3\. I'VE SERIOUSLY BEEN ASLEEP FOR SEVENTEEN HOURS!_

 _4\. Lazy ass._

 _5\. I probably have bedsores._

 _6\. Gross._

 _7\. I am with the Forest Sheikah, I can trust them._

 _8\. I apparently have a Goddess inside me?_

 _9\. I'm seriously going to have to fight a giant with fire for hair?_

"And why the hell are my eyes so itchy?!" Wren was right in her first assumption, it hurt like crazy to move her jaw, and her voice came out raspy.

She managed to sit up, her body protesting the whole time, raise her hands to her eyes, and rub them with the heel of her palm. Any other time she wouldn't have done this, rubbing her eyes was a surefire way for her contacts to painfully roll up behind her eyeballs.

Instead the lenses fell out, two thin plastic pieces landed right below her eyes.

Wren wiped them off her face, and before she could panic at what would essentially be the loss of her vision, she looked up and saw her room with perfectly. She didn't even have to blink hard and squint to see her reflection in the mirror clear across the room.

Even from the bed she could see that her appearance had changed, albeit not dramatically. Her hair still fell in dark auburn frizzes past her shoulders, her eyes were still blue-green (but they were far more vibrant), and her skin was still pale.

Yet, she was different. Like in her dream, her acne had disappeared, and no bruises from the previous night marred her skin. Her mole was gone as well.

Still looking in the mirror, Wren finally noticed she was naked.

She scrambled back under the covers, suddenly modest, and incredibly aware that she was stuck here as long as she didn't have any clothes.

 _Dumb, of course they would take my clothes. They were covered in blood and dirt._

 _Yeah, but they could've given me some jammies or something!_

She stayed still, the quilt pulled up to her chin until someone knocked at the door. Sha'Lyn had returned with an earthen container full of something that smelled like heaven.

Torn between wanting to eat and wanting to be clothed, Wren chose the latter and stayed hidden under the covers. She shot Sha'Lyn a dark look, an attempt to be intimidating in her bare state; instead she looked like a scowling child who didn't get her way.

Sha'Lyn took one look at Wren's glare and set the container on the bedside table, "I was the one that undressed you Goddess. Only I saw you naked, don't worry. I had to in order to dress your leg wound, plus your fever was ridiculously high, you sweated through the clothes that I dressed you in. Your clothes were filthy, we couldn't save them. They were burned."

Sha'Lyn's explanation did not sway Wren, but she did stop scowling.

"Um, well, I mean, I'm not trying to be rude, you did save my life after all, but I don't usually eat naked. Could I please have some clothes? And please, don't call me 'Goddess' my name is Wren."

"I can agree to get you some clothes, in fact I have some prepared for when you are done with your bath I, unfortunately, can't stop addressing you as Goddess. It would be incredibly disrespectful.

"Now, bath first, then food."

Sha'Lyn helped Wren out of bed (Wren had to throw her modesty out the window for this bit, she still stumbled around like a young fawn) and escorted her over to an adjacent room.

It was a small washroom. A toilet, sink, and small bathtub took up most of the space. The toilet was nothing more than a wooden box with a hole in it, Wren sincerely hopped whatever went down it didn't just sit in the box until someone came and scooped it out. Both the sink and the tub were made of some sort of metal, and the minimal plumbing was copper.

Sha'Lyn turned a tap on the tub, letting a warm mixture of water and bubbly soap flow into the basin. Wren awkwardly flopped into the tub before it was completely filled. She was hungry, but she knew she also stank like dirt, blood, and sweat.

The water was warm, boarding on hot, the perfect temperature for her. The soap smelled fantastic, like vanilla and cinnamon, and Wren felt all of her aches and pains melt away.

Her ankle no longer hurt, the pain in her calf was melting away, Wren's head began to clear.

She let Sha'Lyn wash and comb her hair and remove the wrap around her calf; the soapy water felt fantastic against this injury. It was a pleasurable pain that made Wren sigh in ecstasy.

When Wren raised her right arm to wash her armpit, she didn't notice any trace of stubble. She ran her hands up her legs to her privates and found no hair there either.

"That's weird."

"Hmmm?"

"Well, it's not really a bad thing depending on how you look at it, but all my unwanted body hair is gone. I don't have hair on my legs or privates anymore, and there's no sign of it ever being in my armpits. I noticed it a bit in my eyebrows earlier too, I don't have any unwanted stray hairs. Plus, my contacts fell out earlier and I can still see."

Sha'Lyn ran the comb again through Wren's hair, parting it at the nape of her neck to gently touch her birthmark, "Your body is beginning to perfect itself. It's trying to make the ideal vessel for a Goddess. What are contacts?"

Wren pursed her lips but chose not to argue with Sha'Lyn about her status as a deity, choosing instead to address Sha'Lyn's question, "They are like glasses that you were directly on your eyes. They are made out of a material that is thin and flexible. I could probably find them on the bed sheets if you wanted to see them, but finding them could be a pain."

"That sounds bizarre. They fit right on your eyes, like a film? Strange. There are people who do wear glasses, the Sheikah don't, instead we take a small dose of healing potion once or twice a day for our eye problems. I have never heard of someone wearing their glasses directly on their eyes."

"I've never heard of a potion that can fix your eyesight."

"You have a lot to learn about this world Goddess."

"And, where exactly is this world? Does it have a name?"

"Hyrule is the general term for this place, but there are several smaller areas throughout. Hyrule is just the name of the kingdom, but inside Hyrule is the Ancient Forest, that's where you are. There's also Hyrule Field, Kakariko Village, The Zora Sea, and the Goron Mountains to name a few."

Wren had a million new questions in her head, but finished washing herself in silence; she didn't want to ask Sha'Lyn all of her questions at once.

"Okay, up you get, you need to eat something. We leave for Kakariko as soon as the sun sets."

Wren let Sha'Lyn help her out of the tub and wrap her in a warm towel. Wren managed to walk to the other room on her own, Sha'Lyn followed with a bundle of clothes.

Thankfully the Sheikah had panties and bras. Wren didn't think she could go commando.

The pants that were provided were the same shade of brown as Sha'Lyn's, with streaks of green here and there to match the forest. They were loose and soft. She was also given a solid brown short sleeved top and a pair of the most comfortable boots she had ever worn. The leather was well worn, and they were lined with a thin layer of what felt like calfskin. They laced to just above her ankles.

Sha'Lyn was polite enough to turn her back while Wren dressed, providing her some privacy. Wren dressed hastily and tied her hair back into a high ponytail, the end of which barely tickled her shoulder blades.

As she was dressing herself, Wren noticed the puncture in her leg had disappeared.

 _Was it there in the tub?_

 _No, I don't think so… but it felt so good to have the water clean it out, so there must've been some sort of opening there._

 _Maybe it was just a bruise._

 _No, that doesn't make sense, it wouldn't have closed up already._

"I would advise you to wear your hair down Goddess." Sha'Lyn had turned to face Wren, she had dished up some sort of soup out of the container. Even after the bath, it was still warm, steam gently lifting off of the bowl.

Wren undid her hair, letting it fall in wet curls down her back, "Why? It's going to look gross and frizzy if I wear it down without putting something in it."

"The Triforce on the back of your neck is visible with your hair up. It would draw too much unwanted attention."

"My birthmark you mean? Why would that draw attention?"

Sha'Lyn sighed and handed Wren a bowl of soup, "It's not a birthmark, it's the mark of the Triforce. It's not my place to explain everything to you; just know that the Triforce is incredibly powerful, especially the piece that you possess. It evokes jealousy, rage, and malice in those who desire it; a person can either be born with a piece of the Triforce or seek one out, and only certain people are fit to find a piece. The pieces of the Triforce have been used for both good and evil, and if your particular piece were to fall into the wrong hands, the world as we know it would crumble."

Wren thought back to her nightmare and what her reflection had said.

Sha'Lyn continued on, "Only a select few know you have the fourth piece of the Triforce. You already stick out; rumors are already flowing through this city, talk about who exactly you are. I would rather not draw more attention to you.

"And, if it's your appearance you're concerned about, I doubt you have anything to worry about. Remember, the Goddess made you perfect, your hair will be fine."

Wren ran her fingers through her damp hair, hitting no snags or tangles. She felt her curls fall down her shoulders, already forming perfect ringlets.

"So, I'm never going to have a split end again? That's sweet!"

Wren took a bowl of soup and sat on the edge of her bed, she couldn't remember the last time she had eaten; it was before she came to this world, but how long before that? Did she eat at all before she came here? All questions Wren couldn't answer.

Wren pushed her questions aside and tucked into her soup. It was an amazing version of chicken noodle soup. The broth was incredibly flavorful, and the noodles were a mixture of pasta and dumpling; they were sturdy enough to hold up to the broth, but soft enough to gently slide down Wren's throat. There were carrots and celery mixed in, along with a healthy mix of onion and garlic flavors.

Wren had already gulped down her first bowl when she noticed Sha'Lyn hadn't served up any for herself.

"Not hungry?"

"I already ate, and that leaves more soup for you."

Wren smiled, "So, you won't mind if I have seconds?"

"You can have thirds and fourths if you want. You've been asleep for quite some time, and the fever would've made you hungry as well."

Wren helped herself to another bowl of soup. She finished slurping down a noodle when she asked, "What was I poisoned with anyway?"

"Skulltala venom, and thankfully a very mild dose."

Wren looked up, soup dripping off her spoon, "Skull-what now?"

"Skulltala. They are giant spiders that love dark places. They hunt by shooting their webs at their prey, immobilizing them and then injecting them with venom."

Wren felt a shiver go up her spin and gulped, "Spider venom huh? How big of spiders are we talking about here? Like the size of my hand or—"

"They can grow to be the size of a carriage and take down full grown horses."

Wren's jaw dropped, she put her soup down on the nightstand to prevent herself from dropping it."

A puzzled expression crossed the lower half of Sha'Lyn's face, "Are you okay?"

Wren swallowed, "I really don't like spiders. It's a legit phobia of mine. Seriously, can't go near them. I usually have people kill them for me. So when you tell me that this world has giant spiders, well, its cause for alarm. And that's what I was poisoned with? You're sure about that?"

"Positive. And don't worry, Skulltalas won't attack you unless they are hunting, or if you agitate one. Plus, they are easy enough to kill and aren't usually found in your everyday basement. They prefer to not be around people."

"How do you kill a giant freaking spider!?"

"You smash it naturally."

"With what?"

"Whatever weapon you have on you. It's easier if you can get them flipped onto their backs, they have a hard shell that's almost impossible to get through, but their stomachs are very soft and unprotected."

"So, this world has giant armored spiders that are easy to kill so long as you can flip them over. Cool."

Sha'Lyn smirked, "Skulltalas will be easy pickings for you once the King and Queen get you trained up. You will meet them tomorrow if everything goes according to plan."

She stood picked up Wren's forgotten soup and the original container and headed for the door, "If you're up to it, I can give you the grand tour of our city."

Wren stood, "Anything to get my mind off of giant horse-eating spiders."

* * *

The City of the Forest Sheikah was straight out of a fairy tale. It was a giant tree house city that seemed to stretch for miles. Every single building was built into the trees themselves, the giant trunks running through the middle of the buildings. The buildings were supported by both the giant branches of the old trees, and a rope system that seemed to stretch clear to the canopy.

Most of the houses and buildings were small; the room Wren had come out of appeared to be a hotel of sorts since there was another room on either side, a shared balcony between the three. The balcony circled the tree trunk, and Wren found more rooms, as well as what looked like a communal dining area, on the other side. A set of stairs spiraled around the trunk and led down to more rooms built into the tree just below her.

Occasionally, a house would have a chimney with smoke curling out of it. Wren was about to ask if the Sheikah ever worried about burning the entire forest down when she thought better of it. Her building had had running water after all, so why shouldn't the Sheikah be able to build fires in their homes? Wren figured the Sheikah knew what they were doing.

The buildings were connected by a series bridges. The main bridges were made entirely out of sturdy wood and spanned large gaps completely void of trees. The less used bridges connecting houses were made up of wooden planks supported by thick rope. These bridges swayed when walked on, but never enough to capsize their travelers. The bridges were so sturdy that Wren's fear of heights never crossed her mind.

Boards were hammered directly into the trunks of the trees as a way down, but Wren also saw a giant basket and pulley system that would allow for anything heavy to be transported into the tree houses; Wren supposed that's how she had been transported into the trees. As the makeshift ladders neared the forest floor, they became harder and harder to spot. They began to blend into the trees themselves, and only someone who had travelled here before would know where to find a way up.

In fact, the only way to spot the Sheikah city was by looking straight up into the trees, even then, only the bottom of the tree houses could be seen, and those could easily be mistaken for large branches.

When Wren asked Sha'Lyn were they kept their livestock, her soup had been chicken based after all, Sha'Lyn showed her a vast stable system below them. It was the only part of the Sheikah city on the ground; the stables were set far off of any path, hidden in the foliage. Horses and cows grazed here and there on the ground; their enclosures were made naturally, the Sheikah hadn't moved any plants or trees to make their pens, instead opting to train thick vines to wrap around trees and rocks that were already there. It was perfect camouflage and sturdy enough that the animals wouldn't get out.

Chicken coops were nailed into the trees without ladders leading to them, just above eye level; the birds could still come and go whenever they pleased, but no fox could get to them. To collect eggs, a Sheikah would just have to climb down the ladder above the coop, open a hatch on the roof, and climb in.

Sha'Lyn and Wren exiting the library, Wren had requested to see it and then couldn't resist checking out a book on Sheikah history, when a man approached them. He was dressed the same outfit as Sha'Lyn: brown and green pants and shirt, and a dark brown cloak with a hood that covered the upper half of his face. Wren only knew he was male by the five o'clock shadow of stubble on his chin and jaw.

He took one look at Wren and knelt on one knee in front of her, "Goddess, I am sorry for the interruption, but I must deliver a quick message to Sha'Lyn."

Wren was too flabbergasted to string two words together; she had never had someone kneel before her.

Thankfully Sha'Lyn came to her rescue, "You have to tell him to stand Goddess, otherwise he will just kneel there all day."

"Um, okay. You can stand up," She looked to Sha'Lyn for the man's name.

"His name is Ra'Lee."

"Okay, you can stand up Ra'Lee. It's okay."

The man hesitated for the briefest of moments, stood, dusted off his pants, and continued with his head bowed in deference, "The messengers have arrived from Castle Town and Kakariko. It appears that the entire royal household, even the resident Sheikah, have recently had premonitions. The Queen is sending messengers to all of the tribes of the kingdom, warning that a dark army is coming.

"Our messengers were lucky enough to run into the Sheikah Guardian on the way to Castle Town. He was on his way to us to relay the Queen's message. He has been notified of the Goddess's presence and will arrive to Kakariko, with the King, tomorrow morning."

His message delivered, the man stood there, head still bowed, awaiting further instructions.

It was Wren that broke the silence, "So, um, where is Kakariko? Sha'Lyn said we would leave tonight for it, and if the King and this other Sheikah are arriving there tomorrow, would that give us enough time to get there? We can't really keep a king waiting can we?"

"Kakariko is roughly six hours by horseback, and that's without any interruptions. We will leave tonight at around nine and arrive, hopefully, around three in the morning. That will allow you some time to rest before the King arrives. I am sure he will be there shortly before dawn and will want to travel back to the castle tomorrow night. That ride will take you into the early morning hours of the following day."

"Why travel at night?"

It was Ra'Lee who answered this question, "Goddess, it is far safer for you to travel at night, especially the next two nights since the moon will be in its crescent stage. At night, you are less likely to be ambushed since the Dark Lord will expect you to ride by day."

"Please, call me Wren. And wouldn't it be safer to travel by day? I mean, you can see anyone coming in the daylight."

Finally Ra'Lee raised his head and appeared to give Wren eye contact, it was hard to tell with his hood up, "The Sheikah that will be traveling with the King is incredibly suited to fight in the dark. His training has been divided between daylight and darkness. He could fight blind if he had to. No one will sneak up on you, and that, Goddess, is a promise."

Sha'Lyn added, "The King also prefers riding at night. Not only because you are less likely to be spotted under the cover of darkness, but because it is cooler. Riding in the heat is exhausting. He, along with any guard he brings, will need to rest before setting off again, and the warm day will be the perfect time to do so.

A feeling of unease set over Wren, for whatever reason, traveling at night seemed like a bad idea, even with the arguments for it. She forced herself to keep her mouth shut and, like her dream self advised her, to trust those around her.

Sha'Lyn and Ra'Lee made arrangements for horses and an escort; Wren would be riding on the same horse as Sha'Lyn, Ra'Lee would escort them, along with five other riders.

Ra'Lee made a hasty bow to Wren and wandered away to prepare for the night.

Sha'Lyn turned to Wren, "You're still hesitant, Goddess, I can tell."

"It's not that I don't trust you, or any member of your tribe really, but riding at night doesn't bode well to me."

"Scared of the dark?" Sha'Lyn smirked, she was teasing Wren.

"Not the dark. Being scared of the absence of light is stupid. I'm scared of what's in the dark."

Sha'Lyn considered this, faced Wren, and put a hand on her shoulder, "Rest assured Goddess, we will arrive at Kakariko safe and sound. Our escort will be made up of our top men and women, you will be perfectly safe."

"What if we are ambushed?"

"We won't be. Sheikah do the ambushing, they are always aware of their surroundings. We know what goes bump in the night before it ever goes bump.

"If we are attacked, we will fight any assailant off and do everything to protect you."

Wren bit her lower lip and blurted out the question that had really been bothering her, "What if you do fail though? What if you are all killed because of me? What if I'm left alone?"

Sha'Lyn tilted her head slightly to her right, considering Wren; it was hard to read her expression under her hood, did Wren detect a hint of pity in what she could see of Sha'Lyn's face? Maybe it was an expression of motherly concern?

When Sha'Lyn spoke, it was with a tone of reassuring patience, "Goddess. This world is foreign to you, and, unfortunately, your first experience here was awful. I don't blame you for being scared, and I commend you for being patient and putting on a brave façade to this point. Anyone would be scared, but not everyone would hide it as well as you have."

Wren looked at her feet, she didn't want to come off a whiner, but she really was terrified. She continued to chew on her lip.

Sha'Lyn continued, "You will not be left alone, you will ride with me, and I will never leave my horse. Should I become incapacitated, my horse will run like the wind to either Kakariko or back to our city, whichever is closer. If any enemy were to follow you, they would be killed before they knew where they were.

"If all my warriors were to die, I would continue on. That is the understanding. I am your guard, and I have one job to do. It is not to fight for my warriors, not to stop and fight the enemy; it is to get you to safety."

Wren looked up and stopped chewing a hole into her lip, "You swear that you won't abandon me? You promise you won't let me get taken again?"

Sha'Lyn did something surprising, she knelt, took Wren's right hand in hers, and bowed her head, "Goddess, I swear that no harm will befall you on tonight's journey. No scratch, no scrape, no bruise. You will not get captured, and I will not abandon you."

Wren swallowed and said the only thing that seemed right, "Arise Sha'Lyn. Your oath has been accepted." It sounded strange, like something she would never say, and yet, it seemed fitting for the situation.

Sha'Lyn stood, smiled, clapped Wren again on the shoulder, "Thank you for trusting us Goddess. It will not be unfounded. You have my oath."


	8. Chapter 7

What remained of the day passed rather uneventfully, much to Wren's enjoyment. Sha'Lyn finished her tour of the city, which had everything any proper city would need, just set in the trees twenty feet off the ground, and Wren was left to her own devices for an hour or so. Sha'Lyn was needed for last minute preparations for tonight's journey.

Wren meandered back to her room armed with the history book of Sheikah culture she checked out earlier from the library (she knew she would never finish this book, but figured it would be best to learn at least something about the people who saved her), and a tasty snack of assorted dried fruits.

She had just settled onto her bed, the setting sun casting a warm glow around the room, when she noticed a faint blue orb bobbing around the entrance to the bathroom. Wren remained sitting on the bed when the light drew closer; it was right in front of her face when Wren realized she was looking at a fairy.

He was blue all over. Blue skin, blue hair that fell into his blue eyes, and a pale, almost see through, blue set of dragonfly-like wings. He wore nothing more than a blue toga tied loosely around himself.

"Well hi there!" Wren smiled at the small figure in front of her, "You're the one from the forest right? The little guy I saw in the grass before I was taken."

The fairy nodded and replied in a high pitched tinkling voice, "I'm sorry I vanished like I did. I didn't want to be caught, and I would've been useless to you had those beasts stepped on me. I had to hide in order to find help for you."

It was as though a light bulb went off in Wren's mind, "You went to find the Sheikah didn't you? How else would they have known I was taken and where to look? You hid yourself away until the time was right, and flew your little self here to find someone to help. Wow, you, you saved my life."

The fairy blushed, the light around him turning purple, "It was nothing really. That's what fairies do. We help those who are in need by providing our healing powers as well as any other assistance we can."

"Well, you still saved my life. Yet another person I can't really repay…" she trailed off awkwardly, "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Wren; you could say I'm not from around here." She held out her hand, thought better of it, and pointed her index finger toward the fairy.

"Brook, as in 'a babbling brook'" he took her finger in one of his hands and shook.

"Well Brook, you have my never ending thanks. Seriously, those things would've killed me if you hadn't been there to relay the message to Sha'Lyn's tribe."

Brook let go of Wren's finger, "I doubt that. The Sheikah know almost everything that goes on in this forest. They would've intercepted the Bokoblins eventually. I may have just sped up the process."

"You're modest. Seriously, give yourself some more credit. You didn't have to go out of your way to find someone to help."

"Again, it's what fairies do. We see someone in need of aide, and we do what we can to help. I just so happened to be present for a kidnapping. Right place, right time."

"Well, thank you again."

A comfortable silence fell between them, Wren cracked open her history book, popped a dried cherry I her mouth, thumbed to a chapter on the Forest Sheikah and settled back on her pillows.

The duo spent the rest of the early evening together; Brook had settled on Wren's shoulder and would occasionally break the silence to explain a passage to Wren.

"The Forest Sheikah have been around since before the Sky Children fell. One of them, the original Impa, guided the original Goddess on her quest. That Impa vanished as soon as her task was complete, which is odd for a Sheikah. I mean, they are mortal, they die like everyone else does, and they certainly don't vanish."

"How could there be someone on this earth before humanity? The Sky Children fell right? And they were the only people on this earth, so how does that work out?"

Brook shook his tiny head, "No, the Sky Children weren't the only form of humanity, there were others. The Sheikah, all the Sheikah, not just one tribe, were left behind by the Goddess. It was their choice, they opted to stay, to fight the evil roaming the land, to try to make the world a better place for the eventual arrival of the Sky Children."

"Wow… brave. And Impa was one of them?"

"Their leader as a matter of fact. She lived far longer than she naturally should've; it's speculated that the Goddess kept her alive to use her as a guardian. Plus, when the original Hero and the Goddess incarnate time travelled, they encountered her younger form. She outlived almost her entire tribe, all to protect the Goddess."

"The Goddess used her?" Wren felt a wrench of guilt deep in her gut, as though she herself had used this woman as a guardian, unnaturally prolonging her life until the Goddess completed her goal, "That seems cruel."

Brook pursed his lips. When he continued, he was choosing his words carefully, "It's more complicated than that Wren. The Sheikah, all tribes, were established to protect the Goddess and her three daughters. That is their sole purpose, no matter where they are located. Impa was doing her assigned duty; she was born a Sheikah, trained to be a warrior and a guardian, and died a legend. Her legacy has been passed down through the generations, a new Impa being born and trained as the Goddesses see fit."

Brook took flight from Wren's shoulder, landed on the book on Wren's lap and began to turn the pages, his whole body walking over the book as he went. He stopped on a full page illustration of a Sheikah garbed head to toe in wrapped bandages. His (her?) entire face was covered with a cowl, only dark red eyes showing through. A bleeding eye was embossed on the wraps on his chest.

"This," Brook began, "Is a Royal Sheikah, otherwise known as a Guardian Sheikah. His sole purpose is to guard the royal family. In the last great war, this Sheikah, along with the Impa of the time, hid and trained the Queen to be one of them. By the time she was a young adult, she could fight and spy just as good as any born and breed Sheikah. The Queen, disguised as a Sheik, aided the Hero of the time on his quest.

"Royal Sheikahs are an interesting bunch. You will meet one when you arrive at the castle. They live in the shadows, train beyond their limits, and will willingly give their lives' to protect the royal family. They don't want any credit, they view this as their sacred duty. Serious people, from what I heard they have no sense of humor or fun at all. Totally dedicated to their work."

"And there's one living at the castle now?"

"Every royal generation has a Sheikah. In times of peace or war there will always be a Sheikah at the castle." Brook rattled off this last part like he was reciting some sort of oath.

"Great. So I get to live with a humorless guard with a hard on for honor that can only be sated by sacrificing his life."

Brook grinned, "Well, at least you will have an excellent bodyguard while you're there, even if he doesn't know how to crack a joke. And I don't think Sheiks can get hard ons…. I think they just sort of spring up out of the ground."

Wren laughed, closed the book, and put it on the bedside table. Twilight was setting in; Sha'Lyn would be arriving to collect her at any moment.

"You know, for just arriving in this world yesterday, it already feels like home. I mean, it's like I belong here. I've already forgotten almost everything about where I came from. I couldn't even tell you what part of the world I lived in."

Brook, who had perched himself on Wren's knee, considered this, "That's not a bad thing Wren. You have adapted to this place surprisingly well, any other person would be crying under their bed right now. Instead, you're learning about the history of this place."

"Well, I might as well make an effort if I'm going to be stuck here for a while."

"Wren, trust me, I know people in this world that wouldn't even do that. They would just let everyone explain everything to them, or remain ignorant."

"Ignorance isn't bliss in my situation."

Brook chuckled and nodded his head, "I can't say that it would be."

A knock at the door and Sha'Lyn entered holding a riding cloak. Wren stood off the bed, Brook bobbing in the air around her shoulder.

Sha'Lyn stopped in the doorway, "Oh! You're still here Brook? I figured you would've taken off hours ago."

"I didn't really want to leave without meeting Wren. I wanted to make sure she was okay. And now I kind of want to see her off."

"Of course! You can come with us to Kakariko if you'd like."

Wren looked towards Brook, expecting him to say yes, but he only shook his head, "My place is in this forest. I can't leave it, even if it was just for a night. I belong here."

Wren's face fell; the idea of Brook following them to Kakariko never occurred to her until now, but it would've been nice to have his company.

"Ah, naturally. A forest fairy belongs in the forest," Sha'Lyn crossed the room to Wren and handed her the riding cloak. It was nothing more than a hooded cape, much like what the Sheikah already wore, except this one was a dark grey, with a silver clasp to secure it.

"Don't take this off until we are in Kakariko. It will act as a cover, hiding you in the night. It will look like I am the only rider on my horse with you wearing this."

Wren clasped the cloak around her; it fell to her knees and was surprisingly light weight. It was soft on the inside, lined with the same material that lined her boots; Wren knew it would keep her warm if the night was chilly.

Sha'Lyn stepped back, "A perfect fit. Have you ever been on a horse before?"

Wren had a vague memory float into her head. Yes, she had been on a horse, but not for a long distance. She had ridden a pony once at a carnival somewhere; the poor animal had plod in a circle while tethered to a pole. Children squealed and giggled in delight for three minutes before their turns were up. That would've been years ago.

Wren shook her head.

"Really? You've never ridden? Tonight will be interesting for you then. It's a good thing Kakariko is only six hours from here, your legs won't cramp up as bad and you won't be as sore in the morning. The ride to Castle Town is going to be a nightmare for you though. That's almost an eight hour ride."

"Great. I've always wanted to meet royalty while nursing saddle sores. Cross that one off my bucket list."

A high pitched giggle from Brook while Sha'Lyn only smirked.

"They'll understand Goddess. Trust me, the King and Queen are very kind people. They won't poke fun at some who's never ridden." She glanced out the window, twilight was turning to darkness, "We best be off."

Wren and Brook followed Sha'Lyn out the door and down the nearest tree trunk ladder; Wren was thankful for Brook's presence, the small glow he emitted provided enough light for her to see the rungs of the ladder. Once safely on the ground, Sha'Lyn silently stalked to the horse stables, the only thing lit up by lanterns in the night. Wren crunched after her, it seemed as though she stepped on every dead twig and leaf in the vicinity, each crunch and snap seemed as loud as a symbol crash in the still night.

"How do you manage to walk in the forest without making a single sound?"

"Lots and lots of practice. The Sheikah at the castle will teach you how to be light on your feet so you don't sound like an elephant traipsing about in the woods."

Wren snorted, "Was that a joke? Wow, you actually cracked a joke! I didn't think you could."

"Sheikah aren't entirely humorless you know. We can crack a joke once every twenty years. I sure hope I didn't just waste mine."

Wren giggled again, "Wow, two jokes in one night, you're on a roll."

"Well damn it! That's forty years I have to go now!"

They had reached the stables, perfectly hidden by both undergrowth and tree branches. Six other Sheikah were already there, hooded, and standing next to their horses. Wren noted that each one of them carried at least one long knife, but Wren could guess that they all had weapons hidden under their cloaks. All of the horses had bows and quivers full of arrows attached to their saddles.

The moment Wren entered the stables all six warriors dropped into a one knee kneel.

Brook hovered by Wren's ear, "What in Hyrule are they doing?"

Wren rolled her eyes, "Oh for the love of…they think I'm a Goddess!"

"A Goddess?" Brook's tone was one of mild amusement, "I thought Sha'Lyn was just being overly polite when she addressed you as 'Goddess.'"

"Nope, and trust me, being called 'Goddess' gets old after a while. Apparently I'm a Goddess reincarnated or something like that. Honestly, if everyone drops to a knee the moment they see me, someone's going to plant themselves directly on a rock or maybe some horse shit. Plus, they won't stand until I tell them to, so Heaven forbid I forget to let them back up."

Sha'Lyn chuckled, "Did you not tell Brook about your status as a Deity?"

"It must've slipped my mind, it's not something I'm going to go around bragging about, 'Oh hey, everyone, I'm a Goddess, do what I say or I will smite you!' And you can stand up now!"

The six warriors stood, not a single one looked at all embarrassed by their actions. They all kept their heads bowed, awaiting their next command. It was as though Wren was surrounded by a bunch of monks.

"So, I saved the life of a Goddess?"

"Apparently."

Brook made a noise between a chuckle and a snort, "I should be knighted for that. A fairy knight, the first of my kind. Finding armor to fit would be a hassle though."

"I'll put a good word in for you when I meet the royal family."

Sha'Lyn cleared her throat, "We really need to be going, it's already after dark and it will take us about an hour to reach Hyrule field."

She walked over to a grey horse. He was a huge war horse, muscular but svelte at the same time. His mane and tail were white and his large eyes were almost entirely black.

"Wren, this is Monsoon. He's been my horse since he was just a colt."

Wren wandered over to the horse and gave his nose a gentle pat, Monsoon nickered and nuzzled his face into the side of her head.

"Oh good, he likes you. Sometimes he doesn't like other people and will let them know it."

Sha'Lyn turned to address her troop, "Alright, here's the plan. We will obviously have to walk the horses through the forest until we get to a path, then we will mount and ride single file until we enter Hyrule Field. I want us to remain in single file and hug the tree line as much as possible. Ra'Kate, you will be our leader, followed by Ra'Lee, myself, Ra'Lyon, Ra'Syr, Ra'Ronin, and Ra'Tarnin will bring up the rear. I want us to stay close together, but still maintain distance. Do not lose sight of the rider ahead of you.

"As you know, Kakariko is nestled on the edge of the mountains, so the trees will eventually give way to a field of patchy grass. When this happens, I want us to spread out and keep our eyes out for ambush. This is where we will be the most vulnerable since we won't be able to duck back into the trees.

"When we reach the path that will lead us to Kakariko, we will fall back into single file. This will be the safest leg of our journey as the mountains shield either side of the path."

Sha'Lyn considered Wren for a moment and added on, "Should an attack occur, you know what to do. I will spur Monsoon on as quickly as possible and flee to Kakariko with our Goddess. I expect to be covered. Fight until all of our assailants are dead, do not let them retreat. Meet me in Kakariko. Should I fall, Monsoon will either ride to Kakariko or back to our city, whichever is closer. In the highly unlikely event that Monsoon is shoot down, Ra'Kate you will be her new guardian. "

Wren had a feeling Sha'Lyn only added this bit for her benefit. These six Sheikah were the best of the best and would know what to do if they were to come under attack.

"Once in Kakariko, I want a message sent, by dove, back here. The message should outline the plans for establishing a guard outside of the city. We talked about that earlier tonight, you know what to do."

The Sheikah were nodding their heads in agreement and began to lead their horses out.

Wren stopped them, "Oh, and you can look me in the eye… you guys know that right? It's going to be a long journey for all of us if you never look up. And, seriously, my name is Wren, don't call me 'Goddess'."

Murmurs broke out amongst the Sheikah. Some of them seemed to be smiling, while others remained stony. Only two of the six, Ra'Lee and Ra'Kate looked up.

When all the horses had been lead out, Brook who sat on Wren's shoulder said, "Well, I guess this is goodbye."

"You know, I don't like goodbyes. They are too permanent; I prefer 'see you later' or, 'until next time.'"

Brook smiled and leaned his head into Wren's cheek, "Well, see you later then."

He lifted off of Wren's shoulder, turned, and gave Wren the lightest of kisses on her forehead.

"Thank you again Brook."

And he was gone, floating out a stable window.

* * *

The trip through the forest to the path was a tricky one for Wren. She kept stumbling over roots and failing to duck under low hanging tree branches. She couldn't ride Monsoon just yet since she wouldn't have been able to avoid any tree branches from atop a horse. At least this way she only got hit by every other branch. It was a good thing both of her legs had healed.

The Sheiks on the other hand were quite as the dead. It was as though they were walking above the forest floor, not on it. Wren bumbled through the woods like a drunken bear while the Sheiks remained silent.

Finally a path began to form, Sha'Lyn helped Wren mount Monsoon. It took a couple of tries but Wren finally managed to swing a leg over the massive horse; thankfully, Monsoon remained patient, he stood statue still for Wren, even when she accidentally jerked on his mane during one of her failed attempts.

Sha'Lyn mounted behind her, her chest against Wren's back, her head just above Wren's. Before they took off, Sha'Lyn lifted the hood of Wren's cloak over her head.

After an hour of riding, the path broke the tree line, and a massive field lay before the sextet.

It was difficult in the dark, but Wren managed to make out a central road running down the middle of the field. At the end of the road, far off in the distance, Wren made out the lights of a large city. There was a castle situated right in the middle of the city, its spires dominating the skyline. From where Wren was, they looked like nothing more than toothpicks jutting into the sky.

"Is that Castle Town?"

"Mmmhhmm, that's going to be your new home soon. The castle is situated right in the middle of the city, surrounded by high walls and gardens. It's one of the safest places in Hyrule; there are only four ways in and out of the castle grounds, and they are all heavily guarded. Plus, the city is walled in, no one goes in or out without a guard knowing about it.

"That sounds incredibly authoritarian. Everyone is watched all the time by the looming castle and everyone knows whether you're in town or not."

Sha'Lyn let out a soft chuckle, "Well, when you put it like that, yes, it does sound negative. But the castle doesn't 'loom' over the people; it's a sign of protection. The royal family is always guarding their people. The walls are there for their safety as well, and knowing when everyone is coming and going can be beneficial as well. Imagine that you are a tradesman and you encounter danger on your travels; the guards would know you were gone longer than usual and be able to warn the proper authorities. It's a way to look out for people."

That made sense to Wren and she turned her sights back to the road.

The main road also had several smaller roads jutting off of it in all different directions. One lead to what Wren assumed, judging by the lowing of cows in the distance, was a farming operation. Another lead off into the horizon, and another yet led straight into a mountain chain.

This was the road that the group was following.

* * *

Wren tried her hardest to stay awake, but the gentle trot of Monsoon quickly had her nodding off in the saddle.

"It's okay to fall asleep, I will be here. We will arrive in Kakariko in about three hours and there's not much to sight see on the way."

Wren couldn't think of a smart ass reply and simply nodded off.

* * *

"Goddess, it's time to wake up. We are almost at Kakariko."

Wren slowly opened her eyes. She was no longer along a tree line in a field, but instead found herself on very rocky terrain. The grass had vanished, high cliffs formed on either side of her, and the horses were riding in single file, Ra'Lee's silhouette ahead of her. It was still dark, no rays of predawn sunlight kissed the cliffs.

They rounded a small curve in the trail and came upon a small town nestled into the mountains. A sign reading, "Welcome to Kakariko, Home of the Famous Hot Springs and Entrance to the Goron Path" was hung above the trail.

They rode into town, which for the most part was shut down and dark. Nearly all of the houses had their lights extinguished and no one roamed the streets. There were small tarp covered carts and stalls lining the side of the street and settled next to houses.

Ra'Kate led them past what looked like a market and a hotel, and right up to someone's home. It was a modest, domed roof structure, and was made of reddish clay. Smoke was coming out of the tall chimney located in the center of the building. There was no yard to speak of, only more dirt; the entire area was fenced in with aging wood.

The Sheikah hopped off the horses (Wren also needed help with this, she so tired she almost fell off Monsoon), hitched them to the decaying fence and waited.

Sha'Lyn approached the door and knocked.

Before she could raise her fist to knock a second time, a man opened the door wide, "Come in, come in, you must be exhausted. It's far too early to stand outside and talk."

The home was cozy. Ornate rugs decorated the walls, a roaring fire burned in a pit in the middle of the floor, and comfortable looking couches and chairs were scattered here and there along the curved walls. Even with eight extra occupants, the house didn't seem cramped. Doors led off to other rooms, and the roof over the fire pit opened up to show the sky above. Wren idly wondered what would happen if it ever rained here.

The man, a tall tanned person with dreadlocks that feel down his back, a wide mouth, and a rather beaky nose, invited everyone to find a seat. He was dressed in a long poncho like garment embroidered with purple, gold, and dark blue thread, dark gray pants, and cloth sandals.

Wren took off her hood, unclasped the cloak, and let it drape over her shoulders.

Their host took one look at her and said, "Oh, this must be the Goddess. I am Renado, Chief Shaman of Kakariko." He approached her with an outstretched hand.

Wren took it and shook, "Please, call me Wren. Thanks for not kneeling the second I entered your house." She was still groggy from the trip, sleeping on horseback did nothing but make Wren even more tired. The warm house only further invited sleep.

Renado laughed, "It's not customary for people to kneel in their own homes, even if they are hosting a Goddess's vessel. You look exhausted. Please, follow me, I will show you to your room."

Wren quickly looked to Sha'Lyn, a look that Renado didn't miss, "Oh, of course your guard will be staying in the same room as you. I wouldn't have it any other way" he paused before adding, "Wren."

"Thank you." They followed Renado to one of the doors, which opened into a spare bedroom. A bed and a cot had been set up for their arrival.

Wren fell into the bed in a heap, barely managing to kick her boots off, her cloak fluttering the floor in her wake. Sha'Lyn tried to assign watch duty to the warriors, but Renado assured her that Kakariko was safe and that the escort also needed rest. He had set up a cot for each of them in his basement.

"We won't be attacked. If there are dark forces out there, they won't find you here. I know no one followed you, if you did have someone on your trail they'd be dead already."

Sha'Lyn hesitated for a moment before giving in. The six men and women did need their sleep.

Renado closed their bedroom door, leaving only the light of the candles in the wall sconces illuminate the room. Sha'Lyn crossed the room to lie on her cot. She remained above the covers and didn't even take her boots off. She lay flat on her back, her cloaked head facing the ceiling, the hood settling over her eyes, and her hands folded on her stomach.

Wren rolled over to face her, already half asleep, "Hey Sha'Lyn, you know you can relax right? It'll be okay, Renado seems like a pretty chill dude."

"I am your guard Goddess. I have to be ready at a moment's notice. Even though I didn't assign a watch, you can bet those six will establish one the second they get into the basement. Don't be surprised to find someone standing outside of our door in the morning. Plus, someone has to go send word back to the Forest City."

"Well that's just creepy. What if we were talking about girl stuff in here? We could be talking about anything really: boys, boobies, my mythical Goddess powers and my nagging curiosity on if I will have my period again. And someone could be standing right on the other side of the door listing to all of it. Weirdoes." She was rambling now, barely awake and saying the first thing that came to her mind.

 _I'm night drunk._

"Goddess?"

"Yeah?"

"Go to sleep."

Wren rolled over again, this time onto her back, "Promise you'll be here when I wake up. You better not leave me here Sha'Lyn."

"I promise."

* * *

There were voices outside of her door, and even though they were talking in whispers, Wren could still hear them. She begrudgingly opened her eyes; sunlight had yet to peak through her window, but the night was lighter. It was just before sunup; Wren had maybe slept for three hours or so.

She rolled onto her side and faced an empty cot. Panic seized her, Sha'Lyn had left her in the middle of the night, she was stuck with strangers.

 _Why would she do that? She promised me she wouldn't leave._

Wren stayed in bed and focused on the voices coming from the main area.

"We arrived shortly after three this morning; the Goddess has been sleeping since then. She nodded off for a bit on the ride up here, but I can't say that it did her any good."

 _Oh, that was Sha'Lyn. She's just outside. Good, she's still here._

Wren wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but the voices kept her attention. The next person who spoke was definitely a man, a gruff, no nonsense type of voice, "Tell me how you found her."

Sha'Lyn didn't hesitate, "A Forest Fairy alerted us to her presence during the midafternoon two days ago. Apparently he was present when she was taken by the Bokoblins. It didn't take us long to find them, a Bokoblin troop traveling with hogs makes far too much noise in the forest.

"She was sitting straight up in a cart, bound hands and feet, flanked by two Bokoblins, a canvas bag over her head. The bag was secured by a rope around her neck. One of them elbowed her in the side causing her to moan. That's how I knew she was still alive.

"We attacked primarily with arrows, staying hidden in the trees. The Bokoblins didn't know what hit them. When we dropped a few in the cart, the Goddess fell to the ground. We didn't hit her; I think she was trying to stay out of the way.

"A giant Bokoblin grabbed the rope around her neck and forced her out of the cart. He held her at knifepoint for all of thirty seconds before we dropped him.

"I was the first to reach her. When I undid the bag over her head, I found that they had gagged her by running a rope around her head; the corners of her mouth were bleeding from being rubbed raw. She had a rag stuffed in her mouth, that rag had been soaked in Skulltula venom; honestly, for her to stay awake after taking such a dose was incredible."

 _She told me it was only a mild dose…_

 _She probably didn't want you to panic._

 _Yeah, but what's worse: lying about how bad I am injured, or telling the truth?_

 _She did what she had to. Drop it. You're safe now._

Sha'Lyn continued, "They had stabbed her through her calf with a spear, thankfully, that didn't puncture clear to the bone. Her other ankle was swollen, and the poison from the Skulltula venom was making her feverish.

"When I checked the back of her neck, there it was, plain as day, the Triforce. It's inverted the top of the triangle points into her hairline."

A second male voice, "It's upside down, at least compared to the other triangles, in the Triad itself. There could be a whole bunch of reasons why the Goddess would chose to put it that way on her neck. Maybe she wanted to confuse enemies, or maybe it was just convenient placement—"

The same male voice as before interrupted, "How did you know she was carrying the Triforce? Our messenger wouldn't have reached your city in such a short time."

 _Whoa there Mr. Manners._

A brief pause and Sha'Lyn continued, "I had a dream the night before. In it, a Goddess with the Triforce on the back of her neck visited me. She told me that she would arrive shortly. The dream was incredibly short, but it felt like she was there, like I actually talked with her. When I talked with our chief Mage about it, he told me that I'd likely had a premonition."

"Have you had premonitions before?"

 _Geez dude, what's with all the questions?_

"No."

The second voice again, "That would've been the same night that you, me and Zelda all had our premonitions. The Goddess knew she would land somewhere in the forest and would have to enlist the help of the Sheikah. Or maybe she visited Sha'Lyn just to cover all of her bases."

"That's possible… go on Sha'Lyn."

"When we arrived at our city she was in a sorry state. She spent what was left of that night and into the next day thrashing about in bed. She finally woke up yesterday afternoon."

 _Holy Hell, I've only been in this world for two and a half days?_

The first male voice again, "So, she's injured? Will she be able to ride after resting tomorrow?"

"All of her injuries have been healed. We didn't have to give her much healing potion either. They healed on their own. The puncture in her leg is closed, her ankle isn't swollen, and he body is doing everything it can to perfect itself."

Silence permeated outside Wren's room. Wren rolled onto her back in an attempt to get comfortable and fall back asleep.

Shivers went up and down her spin, and the room suddenly seemed incredibly cold. Wren rolled over to face the door again, when she exhaled she saw her breath before her.

 _Something's not right._

 _Get out of the room now!_

Wren scrambled out of bed, caught up momentarily on the covers, and footed it towards the door. When she touched the door knob a freezing cold spark flew through her palm, past her elbow, and up her shoulder; it felt like she had just grabbed a handful of dried ice and crushed it in her palm.

She cried out, stepped back and slipped.

The floor had turned to ice. She was barefoot.

 _My boots, get to my boots before I burn the soles of my feet!_

She turned and took a few steps towards the bed.

 _No! Don't do that, it'd take too long to get the boots on! You'll be frozen by then!_

 _Wrap your shirt around your hand, grab the door handle and get the fuck out of here._

"Fuck!" She turned back to the door, barely able to move. The frosty air seemed to thicken her blood and slow her muscles.

Someone was pounding on the door, "Goddess! Goddess what's wrong? I'm coming in Goddess!" It was Sha'Lyn.

"No, don't touch the handle it's—"

The doorknob jiggled, followed by a cry of pain.

Wren seemed glued to the spot, four feet away from the door, too far away from the bed to turn and get her boots, too far from the door to open it.

 _You need to move!"_

And she tried, but it was incredibly difficult. She was running through a frozen slush, her legs refusing to cooperate. She had only made it a foot closer to the door when her muscles seized and she was frozen mid-step, her body leaning forward awkwardly.

She tried to shout out for Sha'Lyn, but it only came out a whisper, her breath escaping her in a puff of fog.

She was turning blue, icy tendrils were creeping up her legs like vines. They were a deep blue, almost black; they traced her veins perfectly. It would've been fascinating to watch had she not been scared senseless.

The room had turned to ice. The floor, the walls, and even the furniture were coated in a thick sheet of ice. The door had frozen solid.

More pounding from the outside, it sounded like someone was trying to break down the door.

"They aren't going to be able to get in that way…"

If Wren could've jumped, she would've been halfway through the roof. The person who spoke was in the room with her, it sounded like he was directly behind her.

"They can try all they want."

He moved into Wren's peripheral vision. She could see the outline of an incredibly pale man, tall and lanky. He had white hair that fell to his chin, and he wore a dark red cape that bunched strangely around his shoulders and neck.

"So, you're the Goddess? Well, at least her vessel. I have to say, the Goddess does have good taste for bodies to occupy. The last one was so tiny and frail, and, well, you, you're so scared I can feel it coming off of you in waves."

The man had moved behind Wren and placed his hands on her shoulders. Before she knew what was happening, he ran his tongue from her chin, up her jawline, to her ear. Wren couldn't even manage to grimace, her face was paralyzed from the cold.

"Delicious. You and I are going to have tons of fun Goddess. Just loads."

Wren wanted to fight, wanted to push this man off of her, wanted to run to the door or jump out the window.

But she couldn't, she was rooted to the spot.

Frozen in place, stuck with a very disturbing stranger, her saviors on the other side of the door.


	9. Chapter 8

"But, while I have you frozen in place here," The man chuckled at his own pun, "I could have some fun with you now. How wonderful would that be? You, unable to even cry out for help, the King and several Sheikah right on the other side of that door, it would just be perfect. A total disgrace for the royal family and for the Sheikah."

Finally the man had moved to face her. His eyes were black, a thick line of purple makeup curved under each, making him look bruised or sick. His hair fell to his chin on one side of his face, while the other side was cropped short. He had pointed ears, marble pale skin, and chalky white lips.

Aside from his cape, he was garbed in very tight fighting pants and an equally tight shirt. Diamond cutouts ran up and the front of the pants legs and a large diamond cutout in his shirt showed off his stomach and chest.

He was muscular, which only concerned Wren further.

"Does the Goddess like what she sees? I would understand if you did. After all, I am a Demon Lord, and I am perfect. Anyone would be attracted to me.

"Oh! Where are my manners? I know who you are, but I bet you are just itching to know my name. You will need something to shout out later won't you and Demon Lord just won't do. Ghirahim is my name. Don't forget it." He approached her, his hand outstretched in a mockery of a handshake.

"What, you won't take my hand? I know you're not repulsed by me. So, what's wrong Goddess? Why won't you shake?" He laughed, "Well, if you want to be rude, that's your own issue. Just know, rudeness won't be tolerated in my, or my Lord's, presence for long."

He put his arm down, stepped back, and snapped his fingers. A black throwing dagger appeared out of midair.

"But, I can't just let you gawk at me all day can I? I promised you fun, and fun we shall have."

Wren could only stare straight ahead as Ghirahim drew the dagger down her arm, making a shallow cut from her shoulder to the crook of her elbow.

It hurt far worse than it should have, the blade was hot, a very sharp contrast to the ice creeping through Wren. It burned her skin, causing it to blister. Wren felt warm blood trickle down her forearm to drip off of her fingers and onto the floor.

"Not even a muffled cry of pain. What a brave Goddess you are! I bet you're just screaming in that pretty little head of yours aren't you?" Ghirahim stepped back and licked the blade clean. His tongue was grotesquely long, like some sort of pink wiggling snake living in his mouth.

The blade clean, he turned back to Wren and gave a quick slash under her left eye, right on the cheekbone. The blood fell like tears onto her chin. Ghirahim was quick to lick it off. Wren wanted nothing more than to cringe and turn away.

"Hmm, this silence isn't working for me. I want to hear you scream. Promise me you'll scream nice and loud."

Wren felt her jaw start to thaw. She could move it just enough to talk.

 _Is he really that stupid?_

Wren smirked, opened her mouth and shouted, "The door is frozen! The entire room is, you have to use fire! Melt it! There's a man in her with me! He's—"

A sharp slap silenced Wren. The pounding on the other side of the door, consistent up until this point, stopped.

Wren found the flat end of the dagger pressed against her lips, "That's not what I meant when I said I wanted you to scream…"

Ghirahim drew back and slashed at Wren's mouth, leaving a bloody gash through the right corner of her mouth. It quickly began to blister and Wren couldn't help it, she cried out in shock and agony.

"That's more like it. That cut balances you out nicely; it's a good partner to the one under your left eye."

He drew back his dagger again and stopped. The room around him was melting, pools of water were beginning to form on the floor and Wren felt feeling coming back to her extremities.

Ghirahim emitted a low throaty growl and rounded on Wren, "You just had to warn them didn't you? Well, all you did was shorten you time here! Now you and I have to return to my Lord! Grand! My fun cut short once again."

The door was thawed, someone was coming in. Ghirahim stood behind Wren, wrapped one arm around her waist, the other pressed the dagger to her throat.

The first person through the door was a man clad in a green tunic, brown pants, and brown boots. He wore very light chainmail armor between his tunic and his white undershirt. His hair was blond and fell to the nape of his neck, and his eyes were a piercing blue. He had his sword drawn and his shield at the ready. Wren realized that she was looking at the man from her dream.

 _Link. His name is Link._

He was followed by another person, Wren couldn't tell the gender, but guessed it to be male considering the voices she heard earlier. This had to be the Sheikah from the castle; he was dressed in dark blue pants, the same color of shirt, and had a bleeding eye embossed on his light weight chest plate. He wore bandages, white wraps running up and down his legs, arms, and hands. His face was covered by a white cowl that sat on his shoulders, and blond hair was tucked into a pillbox turban, also made of white bandages. His eyes were ruby red and fixed in a glare straight at Ghirahim.

The Sheikah was armed with long daggers strapped to the outside of his thighs, two on each side. Wren could also tell that he was armed in other ways as well, the weapons were just hidden under the bandages. The Sheikah's hands barely grazed one of the daggers, posed to strike at any time.

Sha'Lyn followed, she held a curved sickle in each hand.

Ghirahim tightened his hold on Wren, "Well now, a King and two Sheikah come to save the day! Too bad it won't be happening. My Lord wants this girl, and, well, I have my orders."

Wren moved without thinking; she was thawed enough to fight back. She tilted her head forward, pressing the blade into her neck, the pain making her woozy, reared back, and slammed the back of her head straight into Ghirahim's nose. He shouted out, and loosened his grip just enough for Wren to wiggle free.

Link charged as Wren splashed through a puddle, her muscles screaming with each step. She ran in an awkward stumbling trot past the Sheikah in blue, and straight to Sha'lyn. Sha'Lyn moved to stand in front of Wren, her sickles still raised.

Coldness bit through the air causing everyone's breathes' to seize in their lungs. It was gone as quick as it came, and Wren didn't even have to peak around Sha'Lyn to know that Ghirahim was gone.

Wren fell to her knees behind Sha'Lyn, her hands around the gash in her neck. Sha'Lyn quickly bent down to scoop Wren up and carried her into the main living area, the other two following in her wake.

Renado and the six Sheikah guards were posed for attack. Renado was armed with a staff that had a giant round red gem attached to the end. The wood of the staff curved around the back of the gem protectively; the gem gave off a dark glow.

Each Sheikah was armed with their own weapon of choice: one held a long sword, another a chain with pointed ends, a few with blades similar to the Castle Sheikah's and the remaining with curved sickles.

Wren wanted to laugh, they looked like they were waiting for their turn to play war, and just standing around in a living room until it was their time to fight off evil.

She settled for a small chuckle, blood bubbling around the gash on her lips and mouth, and allowed Sha'Lyn to fuss over her wounds.

"I need a healing potion and bandages! The cut on her arm is deep and he left a long gash on her mouth as well. Her throat was cut too!

"Goddess, are you in pain? I can put you to sleep while you heal."

Wren puzzled over this, "No… It's strange. I don't hurt nearly as bad as I should. I know I've been cut, and I know it's bad, but, it doesn't hurt. Do you think he killed the nerves? I was frozen for a while there, so maybe that deadened them."

"It's possible…." Sha'Lyn had wrapped her arm and was working on her neck.

"It's weird. I mean, I shouldn't even be awake right now should I? I should've passed out, either from pain or from blood loss. I shouldn't even be talking right now."

Sha'Lyn was now working on the cut on her mouth. The most she could do was dab a healing potion on her lips and have Wren hold a rag that had been saturated with potion to the gash through the corner of her mouth.

Sha'Lyn moved to doctor the cut under Wren's eye and stopped, a puzzled look etched on the lower half of her face, "It's gone."

Link and the Castle Sheikah hovered over Wren. Renado was in the bedroom, poking at puddles with his staff. The remaining Sheikah were split between the bedroom and the living area, standing guard at windows and doors.

Sha'Lyn focused on Wren, "She had a cut under her eye. Look, the blood is still on her jaw, but the cut is gone."

Wren felt like she was in a zoo. People were gawking at her, the Sheikah guards were doing their best not to show their curiosity, but Wren caught a few side glances her direction.

"Well, you guys already knew I could heal myself, so why is this one such a surprise?"

Sha'Lyn and Link had the good graces to look abashed for talking about Wren while she wasn't present. The Sheikah simply stood there with a puzzled look in his red eyes.

"I had to tell them Wren. They needed to know about your recovery time."

Wren quickly shook her head, "No, you misunderstand me. I'm not upset at you for talking about me behind my back. If anything, I'm annoyed that you woke me up before dawn. I just want to know, especially since you already knew I could heal myself, why this time is such a surprise."

The Sheikah finally spoke, his voice masculine and soft, a far cry from the gruff interrogator earlier, "It's because of how quickly your body did it. You are moving from spending a day recovering to healing almost instantly. That's an incredible leap forward, especially in such a short time."

Link chimed in, "It's amazing really. Typically, the very few people who can heal themselves can't do it so quickly, or easily, without years of training. And here you are doing it without even realizing it. I can't heal myself without a potion, and Zelda can summon an incredibly strong shield, but her healing ability is weak."

He looked into Wren's eyes causing her to feel immediately awkward and somewhat intimidated, she glanced away and dabbed at her cheek with the rag, "You have to be born with a healing factor Wren, and even then it takes years and years to hone it. This only shows just how strong that bit of Triforce you have really is."

Wren blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Thanks for not calling me 'Goddess.'"

 _Smooth._

Link blinked, breaking the spell he had unwittingly cast over Wren, and let out a small chuckle.

"Well… it got old real quick. It's just weird having people kneel to me and call me 'Goddess' all the time."

Link smirked, "I can imagine. Especially since you probably don't feel like a Goddess."

"Right?! I have no idea how a Goddess is supposed to behave or if I'm breaking any taboos. Shit, I don't even know how I am supposed to address you! 'Your Royal Highness' or 'Your Majesty.'"

Link laughed at this one, "Link is fine with me. King Link when talking about me, or with me, to the people of Castle Town. This gentleman next to me simply goes by Sheik. He is the chief guard at the castle. The best of the best."

Sheik tilted his head forward in greeting, his red eyes never leaving Wren's face.

"Well, um, my name is Wren, but you already knew that. You can say I'm new here…"

Wren removed the rag from her face, it came away bloodstained, but her mouth felt infinitely better. She licked her lips, they were no longer cut.

Renado returned from investigating the bedroom, "Nothing. No trace of dark magic, no dark artifacts, just puddles of water."

Wren sat up, her arm and neck still burned, but not nearly as bad as a few minutes earlier, "Who was that man anyway? Ghirahim or something like that?"

Link shook his head, "He's familiar, but I don't know," he turned to Sheik who also shook his head, "Zelda had a premonition with him in it the other morning."

"He's old, whoever he is. For a demon to freeze over an entire room in a matter of minutes, especially with enough control to only freeze the doorknob on the outside, takes a good bit of power."

Wren fidgeted in her spot, "So, the door didn't look frozen from the outside?"

"Why do you think we kept pounding into it? We didn't know it was frozen until you warned us. We thought Sha'Lyn had been burned by fire, not by ice."

 _Oh God, Sha'Lyn! I forgot about Sha'Lyn!_

Wren turned towards her guardian. Before she could ask, Sha'Lyn held up a heavily bandaged hand, once which Wren should've noticed earlier, and said, "It is okay. I only grabbed the door momentarily, I still have feeling in my hand, and with some potion I should be healed by tomorrow."

"Yeah, but still, I should've noticed! God Sha'Lyn, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were hurt!"

"You had other things on your mind Goddess, and I had other things to worry about as well."

Wren still felt bad, "Still though…"

Sheik shot Wren another quizzical stare. It made her self-conscious and uncomfortable.

 _I think I just did something wrong…_

Renado spoke again, "We managed to melt the ice with torches and a healthy bit of Din's Fire thanks to Link. The rest is history. The demon vanished in a whirl of ice shards before Link could get near him."

He focused on Wren, "Didn't you have a cut under your eye?"

Wren shrugged, "It healed."

Renado's heavy eyebrows shot up, "That's amazing!"

"So I've been told. I'm not trying you know. It just sort of heals on its own."

"That's even more amazing!"

Wren gave Renado a small smile, "So, an ancient demon that no one knows anything about attacked me this morning huh. Great start to any day and better than a bowl of oatmeal. I bet people would be downright jealous if they knew how their Goddess woke up on some days."

Sheik surprised Wren with a chuckle. He remained silent otherwise, but Wren detected a smile under his cowl.

Link stretched, "Speaking of breakfast, I could go for some food now that the danger has melted away."

Renado grinned at the King, "Fine, but I will need help. I'm feeding eight Sheikah, a King, a Goddess, and myself after all."

Wren stood, fully intent on helping anyway she could. Sha'Lyn placed a hand on her shoulder and gently forced Wren back onto the sofa.

"You stay put Goddess. Your arm isn't fully healed yet and I will not let you overexert yourself."

Wren opened her mouth to argue, she felt fine. Her words caught in her throat when she saw Sheik give the smallest head shake behind Sha'Lyn's shoulder. For whatever reason, that tiny gesture caused her to falter.

Sha'Lyn gave Wren a sad smile, "I know it's killing you not being able to help. But you're hurt and covered in blood. Let me get you some fresh clothes, you can wash up in the basin in the bathroom.

"I'm not going back in that room."

"I don't expect you to. You can change in Renado's room, I'm sure he won't mind. I will stand guard the entire time. Link seems to think the danger has passed, and he has some sort of sixth sense for that. You will be okay, you have my word."

Wren tried to stand once more and was pushed down once again.

"You just stay put, I will go get our packs."

And Wren stayed, dabbing at the quickly disappearing gash on her face.

 _Boy howdy do I love being waited on hand and foot while I sit here on my throne._

* * *

By the time Wren had washed and changed into an outfit matching the one she wore the previous day,

 _Do the Sheikah have any variety?_

Breakfast was ready.

Breakfast was fantastic, Renado held nothing back in the way of food. The eleven of them sat around the fire pit on built in benches: Wren next to Sha'Lyn, Link and Sheik sharing a bench, Renado sat with Ra'Lee, the two enjoying an animated conversation. The remaining Sheikah divided up between benches or sat cross legged on the floor.

There were enough scrambled eggs, seasoned with salt, pepper, and other herbs Wren couldn't place, to go around. Bacon and seared ham was passed around the circle multiple times, the plate never seeming to empty. Fried dough balls were placed in a basket for anyone to help themselves to; they were seasoned with sugar and cinnamon or buttery herbs. Wren felt like she inhaled half the basket before she forced herself to stop.

A dark, strong coffee was passed around along with a thick chocolate drink. Wren mixed the two together, something foreign to everyone else, but soon everyone was trying it and singing praises of the drink.

It was hard to believe that only an hour ago a demon had attacked.

For a while everyone just ate, enjoying the meal, speaking to only those around them. Conversations remained lighthearted; Sha'Lyn and Wren simply enjoyed each other's company while Link talked Sheik's ear off about various subjects.

Wren caught Sheik, more than once, staring at Wren.

 _Do I have something on my face?_

Wren wiped her mouth, which had healed itself shortly before breakfast, with the back of her hand. She did it once again for good measured and leaned over to Sha'Lyn, "Why does Sheik keep staring at me? It's weird."

Sha'Lyn swallowed, took another bite of eggs and chewed it very slowly, Wren had a feeling she was stalling.

She swallowed again, "I can't really answer that Goddess. He might still be trying to figure you out. He might still be trying to guess the extent of your power. He might be planning your future training. Or, he might think you're incredibly gorgeous and is plotting his way into your bed."

Wren snorted through a mouthful of bacon, "Right, because I look so good after being attacked by a demon."

Sha'Lyn shrugged, "It could be his fetish."

"Oh God, I hope not!"

Sha'Lyn smiled, she was hoping Wren would say that. "And why would that be Goddess? What he does in the bedroom is his own business. Unless, of course, you were planning on making it yours too."

Wren turned beet red. It was her turn to stall. She sipped on her coffee/hot chocolate drink, took another sweet dough ball, bit it in half a bit more viscously than she intended and chewed.

"Cat got your tongue Goddess? You are usually quick with a quip."

Wren opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again, "You know Sha'Lyn, I think I've been pretty good for you. Look at you, making sex jokes at the breakfast table. Teasing a Goddess, talking with her about all sorts of naughty things, you should be ashamed."

Sha'Lyn bowed her head, "I meant no offense Goddess—"

"What! No, don't start getting all serious on me now. I love it! I love cracking jokes with you!"

"You didn't let me finish. I meant no offense, but in that last case, I believe that I won the battle of sass."

"'Battle of sass' I love it. Love everything about it."

Wren and Sha'Lyn returned to their plates, a short time later Wren caught Sheik staring at her again.

"Okay, seriously, that has to stop. It's unsettling."

"Just stare back. Make your eyes really big and don't blink. See how he likes it. Give him a nice toothy smile too, that'll add a nice touch."

"For all I know you just gave me some weird Sheikah marriage proposal. Not doing."

Sha'Lyn laughed, and it was her turn to be stared at. She blushed and whispered back to Wren, "Trust me, no Sheikah in their right mind would accept such a proposal. We prefer sacrifices at the full moon with our wedding engagements."

Wren giggled, "Well, that's good to know should I ever stumbled upon a ritual involving two Sheikah and a dead lamb in the middle of the woods. No cause for alarm, only a wedding proposal."

"It comes up more often than you would think. Hell, the woods are littered with the bones of calves and lambs. We really need to find another way to profess our love for one another."

Wren ate her last bite of eggs with a giggle.

* * *

After the dishes had been cleared and washed and the group was sitting comfortably around the extinguished fire pit, plans began to form.

"I say we stick with our original plan and leave at dusk." Link didn't seem too eager to leave, and Wren actually agreed with him. The more time spent here, resting, and maybe exploring, the better.

Sheik had other plans, "We had a demon attack Wren this morning. He fled to who knows where, probably back to his lord, and may be returning with reinforcements. The sooner we leave the better."

Link rolled his eyes, "If Ghirahim really did return back to Ganondorf then he will be lucky to be alive right now. I highly, highly doubt Ganondorf will let him return with reinforcements after he failed him."

"Ganondorf will know where we are, he will send his own troops onto Kakariko. We have to leave as soon as we can."

"And leave Renado here alone should an attack occur? Besides, he already knew where we were; I don't think Ghirahim knew where to find us on his own."

It was like watching a tennis match, Wren's eyes flicked back and forth between the two speakers while Sha'Lyn resumed her guard post, standing behind her.

Sheik still wasn't swayed, "Once whatever forces Ganondorf sends our way finds out we are gone, they will follow us."

"Straight to Castle Town. And that's after they burn down all of Kakariko."

Link interrupted before Sheik could give a rebuttal, "And don't you think he would've sent more forces already? Any dark army would've surely been here by now."

Sheik started back up, "Who says he hasn't? Who says they aren't on their way right now?"

Sha'Lyn cleared her throat, when she spoke it was with a deference not familiar to Wren, "Royal Guardian, I say this with the upmost respect, but we would know if Ganondorf sent his army for us. I have stationed Sheikah along the trail to the city. I planned for every contingency before we left. All trails have been covered, and our fastest messenger would arrive long before any army."

Sheik glared at Sha'Lyn until she bowed her head, "Point taken Forest Guardian, but who is to say that whatever could be headed our way didn't kill your army or your messengers? Besides, they let a demon waltz right into town, into Wren's bedroom."

"Through no fault of their own. Ghirahim used some sort of dark magic to creep into the Goddess's room. They have their protocol should they be attacked; they know to send a messenger at the first sign of danger."

"Don't argue with me Forest Guardian. Your men failed. That's a fact. Don't act surprised when I don't have faith in whatever guard you put along the way. You have no idea what we are dealing with."

Sha'Lyn remained silent, head bowed. Wren could almost feel the embarrassment radiating off of her in waves.

Sheik continued, "You understand why I don't trust you men do you not?"

Sha'Lyn nodded at the ground.

"Good, and don't forget who you are talking to."

That was it for Wren, she stood and addressed Sheik directly, "Why do you doubt Sha'Lyn's warriors? They are the best of the best, the greatest. They saved my life and escorted us here. They were kind enough to house me and protect me. An army would not get past them, and the demon only did because of whatever trickery he used. Probably some sort of dark magic that hasn't been seen here in years! You can't expect her guards to take that into account!

"Have some faith in your people! Have some respect for Sha'Lyn, she is the chief of her tribe, and she was the first one to my side after I was nearly killed."

She turned, walked past Sha'Lyn and exited the building, suddenly craving fresh air and wishing to cool off.

Sheik stood stunned and Sha'Lyn managed a quick apology on Wren's behalf before chasing after her.

Link clapped Sheik on the shoulder, "If that was your plan to impress Wren, you might want to think of a better one. In case you didn't notice, those two have formed a pretty strong bond for being together for such a short amount of time."

Sheik shook his head, "It wasn't her place. I outrank her—"

"For Farore's sake Sheik! Throw your ranking and any other hierarchy you Sheikah have out the window when it comes to Sha'Lyn; she was just telling you the facts when you attacked her—"

"I didn't attack—"

"In Wren's eyes you did! You are just another person and Sha'Lyn is her savior; she knows you are a Royal Guard, but she doesn't know the power that title holds. Wren probably thinks she owes Sha'Lyn her life. Even though she only spent a day with them, the Forest Sheikah became her family. I'm willing to bet all of the rupees in the treasury that she would rather go back with Sha'Lyn then go to the castle with us."

He turned to face Sheik, "I'd go apologize if I were you, and, for the love of Din, make it sincere."

* * *

"It's bullshit Sha'Lyn, how he talked to you! He had no right to say that!"

Wren had walked down the main path through the town and stood at the foot of a path leading straight into the mountains. She leaned against a fence, her arms crossed. She knew she was far angrier than the situation called for, but she let herself remain irate.

 _You're being stupid._

 _Shut up._

 _You know I'm right._

 _I said shut up!_

"He outranks me Goddess. By quite a bit really. Forest Sheikah hold a place of honor in our own right, but Guardian Sheikah are the highest ranking tribe. They are handpicked by the royal family for their skills and discipline. They are trained from a young age to serve and protect the royal family. If they are not selected to be a personal guard, they fight in the King's army as right hand men."

"I don't care if he was handed a sword straight out of the womb! To say that your men failed—"

"They did Goddess. They should've been able to protect you."

Wren rounded on Sha'Lyn, "How?! How exactly could they protect me when Ghirahim appeared in my bedroom? Tell me Sha'Lyn, short of having a guard there to hold my hand at all times, how they could have protected me."

"I should've been there. I left you to go discuss things with the King and the Guardian Sheikah. I failed you."

"Sha'Lyn. Stop. You can't be there for me every second of every day. You had to go talk with them. Someone can't always be guarding me. It's just not going to work!"

"Someone will always be watching you in the castle. Even if you manage to tap into your true powers, there will always be someone guarding you."

"That's bullshit. I don't need an escort everywhere I go."

 _Right now you do._

"Until you access your dormant powers, yes, yes you do."

Wren swallowed, she wanted to cry but was too mad to do so.

"I'm… I'm not some fragile little flower. I'm not someone that's always going to need saved."

 _Twice. You've been saved twice now._

 _And, who knows where you would be now if you hadn't been saved._

The corner of Sha'Lyn's mouth twitched, "Well, any moron can see that Goddess. The fact that you're not hiding under your bed back in my city proves that. The fact that you are up and walking only a few hours after being frozen solid proves that you are no delicate little flower."

Wren was silent for a moment giving Sha'Lyn time to move next to her. A soft breeze blew through the town kicking up swirls of dust along the road.

"You know why I'm really annoyed Sha'Lyn? Not just from what Sheik said to you, but from everyone planning out my future without really consulting me first. I mean, my life, in this word anyway, has been planned ahead by people I've only just met.

"I get dropped here, lose my memory of my past life, and then it's like, 'surprise, you're a Goddess, congrat-u-fucking-lations. Have fun killing Ganondorf! Oh, by the way, here's how you are going to do it, better to go with the flow!'"

Sha'Lyn interrupted, "You know you have to kill Ganondorf? Who mentioned that to you?"

"I had a dream. I talked to myself in it, but, it wasn't really me. I think it was the Goddess."

"You had a premonition?"

"I don't know what that is."

"A hyper-realistic dream. A dream that you can't wake up from until it's over. A dream that you swear you physically touched someone or something. Where you actually tasted something in your mouth or felt something on your skin."

Wren thought back to her conversation with the Goddess, "Yeah. I could say I had a premonition. It wasn't a good one though. Link died."

Sha'Lyn knew not to pry and instead told her that premonitions don't always come true. That they sometimes act as warnings or calls to action to prevent something from happening.

"That's what mine was. The Goddess told me to trust my instincts and to trust those around me. That's why I've been going with the flow so much and not really questioning things."

"Until now."

Wren smiled, "Yeah, until now. Having my life planned out for me by strangers doesn't sit well, especially when I don't seem to have any say. It sucks Sha'Lyn, it really, really does."

"Goddess, things will settle down once you get to Castle Town. Right now you are in a state of transition, plans are being made without your consent because, and I mean this in the most respectful way, we know better than you."

 _She's right._

Wren chuckled, "You know, I think I knew that, deep down, I just want to have some sort of say. Sheik talking to you the way he did just sort of brought me over the edge."

Sha'Lyn sighed, "Castle Guardians, well, they see things in black and white. When I countered his argument about an oncoming army, he saw it as a challenge to his rank. He saw it as backtalk, not as fact."

"But for him to say that your warriors would be killed and that you failed—"

"Was his way of trying to shut down what he saw as a direct challenge. He stated what he felt, or knew to be, fact and put me back in my place."

 _And I get to live with that?_

 _Have fun!_

Wren wanted to argue. She wanted to say how Sha'Lyn was equal, or better than Sheik. She had a name, she led an entire city, and she saved a Goddess. Sheik didn't have any of that.

Instead she sighed, rested her head in the crook of Sha'Lyn's neck, and went with the flow.

A steady rumbling coming from up the mountain path broke the comfortable silence. The pair straightened and faced the path. The rumbling only got louder; it was as though a giant boulder was rolling straight down the path into the village.

Sha'Lyn grinned, "Oh, Goddess, you're about to meet your first Goron."

"My first what?" The ground beneath them was beginning to shake.

"Goron. A member of the mountain tribe. They look like rocks, eat rocks, and make their homes out of rocks. I suggest we step off the path."

Wren managed to scuttle off the path, her legs felt like jelly from the shaking and the rumbling was as loud as thunder.

Then Wren saw it, a seemingly out of control boulder rolling down the mountain path, straight into the village.

It thundered past them, rolled a small way down the road, and stopped.

The boulder began to gently shake and then it began to unroll. It sprouted thick arms and legs and had large domed head perched directly on its broad shoulders. The heavy set, barrel chested creature stood eight feet tall and had jagged rocks imbedded directly into its skin. It wore only a ragged loin cloth.

The Goron's steps were heavy and awkward; he didn't walk as much as he stomped. He ambled up to the hotel, walked along the length of the building, then disappeared down a small side path that ran behind the hotel.

"Oh, he's going to the hot springs. If we do stay the day, I can show them to you. They are wonderful, naturally occurring hot springs renowned for their healing properties. An excellent place for a soak."

Wren was sidetracked, while she was watching the Goron's path she noticed another figure working his way up the road.

"Oh God, Sheik's coming over here."

Sha'Lyn pursed her lips and when she spoke it was with a tone of urgency, "Goddess, you understand that he outranks me correct?"

Wren nodded and Sha'Lyn continued, "Whatever he says to me, please, do not argue with him. Leaving the house like I did was incredibly rude to both him and the King. I should've stayed until I was dismissed, should've apologized for my behavior, not for yours. He might be coming to relieve me of my rank, or to banish me."

Wren furrowed her eyebrows, a small dimply appeared between them, "Nothing doing Sha'Lyn. I don't care if it spits in the face of all your Sheikah traditions, but I'm not going to let him punish you."

Sha'Lyn sighed, "Goddess, please, I beg you, just let him say his peace. If that means a punishment of some sort, so be it."

Sheik was within earshot now, Wren simply shook her head and whispered, "Nope."

Sha'Lyn couldn't continue the argument, Sheik was practically right next to the duo.

An awkward silence settled between them: Wren fidgeted against the fence, stuck between the two Sheiks, Sheik gazed straight ahead at the building across from them, and Sha'Lyn kept her head bowed.

Finally Sheik spoke, "I would like to apologize to you Sha'Lyn. I didn't mean to insult you or your men."

Sha'Lyn raised her hooded head with a small start, another beat of awkward silence passed before she found her voice, "Th-thank you Royal Guardian. I accept your apology. I too wish to apologize on my behalf, I shouldn't have—"

Sheik held up a hand to stop her, "No. You have no need to apologize to me. When Wren defended you and," he was picking his words carefully, "left the house, you had every right to go after her. You are her guardian after all."

Sha'Lyn's mouth hung open, Wren guessed that Sha'Lyn's eyebrows had found their way into her hairline. She quickly composed herself and returned to the tone of deference she had used in the house, "Thank you for being so kind and understanding Royal Guardian. I truly do not deserve it."

Wren had a feeling Sha'Lyn would've kneeled in front of Sheik had she not been there.

"Forest Guardian, you have protected our Goddess in her time of need. You have provided her aid and comfort. You are deserving of any praise and kindness that comes your way."

 _How long to Sheikah apologies take?_

 _At least they haven't made some sort of sacrifice… yet._

Wren let out a soft, fleeting chuckle. She wished she hadn't, both the Sheikah were now staring at her.

She didn't explain herself and let, yet another, uncomfortable silence fall between them.

The small shops in Kakariko were starting to open. Stalls selling whatever produce would grow in the rocky soil had the tarps covering them thrown off, only to be pegged onto high poles to act as a shade over the mobile business. Shop windows opened, rugs were tossed in front of the doors, and a few early risers, mostly women, went about their business.

And still they stood, the silence not so awkward anymore, against the fence post on the far side of the town.

The Goron reappeared from his soak, his skin was shiny, the rocks in his skin glistened in the sunlight, the last few drops of water beginning to dry. He tilted his head at the trio, a small greeting, before rolling himself back into a ball and ascending the mountain path.

Once his rumbling faded into the distance, Wren spoke up, "So, um, what's the plan for the rest of the day? Do we ride tonight or—" she let herself trail off.

Sheik shook his head, "I don't know. Link and I never really set a plan. If I had it my way we'd be long gone by now, but Link wants to stick with the plan and leave tonight."

Wren sighed, "If it were up to me I'd stick around for the day. Rest, relax, maybe explore a bit. But, I really do understand why you want to take off now. Castle Town is probably safer."

 _There. Try to mend some broken fences._

They had begun to amble back to Renado's home, Wren still stationed between Sheik and Sha'Lyn.

"If you want to stay, we can stay. If Sha'Lyn has a small army stationed along the path, they should be enough to protect us until this evening."

 _He's also trying to mend fences._

 _Good._

Link was sitting outside of Renado's house, his back against the clay structure, butt and feet in the dirt, knees up, and his arms resting idly on top of his knees. His head was tilted back against the building, eyes closed.

Link slowly opened his eyes when they approached, stood and dusted himself off. Sheik brought up the topic of leaving, and after a very brief discussion they decided to stay.

"We will ride to Castle Town tonight and arrive early tomorrow morning, around dawn. Wren, you will ride with Sheik while I ride slightly ahead of you on Epona."

Wren knew that Sheik and Link had already planned out their riding arrangements, she knew it made sense to have her ride with Sheik, but she really didn't favor the idea.

 _Go with the flow._

"Sounds good," Wren turned toward Sha'Lyn, "You said something about a hot spring earlier. Let's go check that out. I could go for a good soak."


	10. Chapter 9

Sha'Lyn escorted Wren up the dusty path behind the hotel; they had procured some towels from Renado, and the boys didn't seem to mind that they were not invited. The trail twisted and turned, winding itself into a soft incline. The path was wide enough for two, maybe three, Gorons to walk abreast; the added feature of a safety fence along the edge was entirely unnecessary for the two women. They were ascending northbound; to their east was the mountain's cliff face, the plateau obscured by the clouds, to their west stood the crooked fence and a breath taking view of the village.

After only ten minutes of hiking they were on the hot springs. Giant pools of glass-clear water dotted the flat surface. Large mountains surrounded them on three sides, the view to the south open to the valley below. No homes or shops were built this high, no one looking straight up would be able to see them, it was perfectly private. The path continued up the mountain, but it narrowed drastically after the last pool.

Wren approached a pool, steam floating off of it gently, turned, and raised an eyebrow at Sha'Lyn, who smirked and turned around.

"You know, I've seen you naked twice now, and I'm going to see you naked in the pool, I don't understand your modesty undressing in front of me."

Wren had shucked off her shirt and bra, and was awkwardly working off her boots, "Well, you see, I'm not very good at strip teases. So I'd rather not make an ass out of myself getting undressed."

"Goddess, if I ever saw you in a tavern turning tricks on a table, rest assured I would get you out of there as soon as I gave you fifty rupees."

Wren was totally disrobed now and was testing the water at the pool with her toes, the water was hot, but not unpleasant, "Only fifty? Come on now, how many times do you get to see a Goddess strip?"

"Well, you said it yourself, you're not very good at strip teases."

Wren slid into the pool with a small splash, the walls under the water were smooth and slick. The rocks were multicolored: dark reds, navy blues, royal purples, tans, oranges, yellows, and blacks set in patterned rings into the abyss. The pool ran straight down into the earth, drawing its heat from the core of the mountain.

She swam to the side opposite Sha'Lyn, spread her arms against the lip of the pool, her back to the edge, leaned her head back, and let out a contented sigh.

Sha'Lyn turned, the water was up to Wren's neck, her hair fell to her shoulders, the tips of the auburn tresses kissing the water. Her face was a picture of serenity: eyes closed, head tilted back, a small smile. Sha'Lyn set the towels down on a dry rock, kicked off her boots, rolled her pants up to her knees, and dipped her feet into the water. He cloak was spread out behind her, the hood still obscuring her face.

Wren opened her eyes, "Why not just take a dip? As far as I know you don't have any parts I don't have. And even if you did, shit, what do I care? You could have a tail for all I know, and I still wouldn't give a shit."

Sha'Lyn faced Wren with a bemused smirk, "I don't have a tail Goddess, but it would make things very handy back home. And I can't take a dip because I am still your guard. I have to stay alert."

Wren rolled her eyes, "I really doubt anyone is going to attack us up here."

"And we thought Kakariko was a safe place for you to stay the night, but that backfired didn't it."

Wren made a discontented noise between a gurgling growl and a sigh in the back of her throat, "I just feel safe now, you know? Like, I feel like no one is going to attack us. It's hard to explain, and I don't really want to try. Come on Sha'Lyn the water feels so nice. It will be okay, no one will see us up here, and you have to want to take that cloak off. I wouldn't mind actually seeing your face before I left too. I want to know what you're hiding under that hood."

Any trace of a smile on Sha'Lyn's face was gone, and Wren knew she had pushed too hard. Her mouth was a hard thin line, it looked like she was readying herself to yell at a disobedient child.

Before Wren could eat her words, Sha'Lyn spoke in a tone reminiscent of a mother trying to explain to her toddler why it's a bad idea to eat dirt, "Goddess, I can't take my cloak off in the presence of others. It is part of the Sheikah creed, we must maintain our anonymity at all costs; for a Sheikah to be unmasked, well, it's a huge disgrace. Only Impa is allowed to not have her face obscured, that traces back to the original Impa, but she even chose to wear a hood in her old age.

"After puberty, a Sheikah will only show his or her face to the one that they are promising their life to. As in, the one they trust the most with their secrets, the one that they love. If we are forcibly unmasked by an enemy, it is considered a massive disgrace and failure. We could be banned from our community. We would rather be killed than unmasked."

Wren swallowed and chewed on the long healed corner of her lip, "I'm sorry Sha'Lyn. I really didn't know. I shouldn't have pushed so hard—"

Sha'Lyn's easy going smile was back, "Apology accepted. And, I guess it's a good thing that you asked me to remove my cover and not the Castle Guardian."

"Oh God, he'd probably flay me."

"Doubtful, he's going to be your new guardian. It wouldn't do him much good to harm you."

Wren leaned her head back once again and reclosed her eyes, "This might come as a shock to you, but I'm not really looking forward to that."

Sha'Lyn exhaled gently through her nose and swirled her right ankle in the pool, "He might come around. I think the only reason he's so uptight right now is because he's nervous. He's worried about attack, worried about tonight, and worried about the future. Plus, he had a premonition about you, just like everyone else around here, and who knows what that was about."

"I seem to be running through everyone's heads lately. You, Link, Sheik, and Zelda. And then my own dream, I'm a busy lady without even knowing it."

"It's your way of keeping yourself safe. Don't forget, you are a Goddess."

Wren opened her eyes and flicked some of the warm water up at Sha'Lyn, "How can I forget when you insist on calling me 'Goddess' every five minutes."

The water landed on Sha'Lyn stomach, "Goddess, you know that I can't call you by your name. Goddess, you know that would be disrespectful. Goddess, you know that I am held by a high code to honor and protect you. Goddess, I don't call you 'Goddess' every five minutes, more like every ten or fifteen. And, Goddess, you don't want to get into a splash fight with me."

Wren glared at Sha'Lyn, her lips were puckered, she was trying not to laugh.

* * *

The rest of the morning flew by in a gust of idle chatter. By the time the girls had toweled off, redressed, and descended the mountain, it was time for a quick lunch. They entered the hotel, ordered their sandwiches, and ate in a comfortable silence.

After Sha'Lyn paid their tab, they idly wandered up and down Kakariko's main street. Sha'Lyn took Wren to a potion shop owned by a tall, portly, jovial man who was more than happy to explain his wares to her. Red potions healed, green potions increased stamina, blue potions acted as a sort of cure all with the added bonus of increased awareness, and the familiar purple potions, Wren knew, induced sleep. All potions sat in their own caldrons over roaring flames. Several were already bottled on the shelves around the store. The building was smoky and stuffy with only minimal air entering through the windows at the top of the building. They left without buying anything, the owner giving them a friendly wave on the way out.

They entered a good's store next. This building was far bigger than the potion shop and sold an array of items. Pots and pans hung from the ceiling, cooking utensils sat in pots scattered here and there. Towels, clothes, shoes, and rugs all had their own separate spaces. Bows taller than Wren were mounted on the walls next to sharp arrows with delicately carved shafts. Swords and shields were placed behind the clerk's counter in a glass case. An entire shelf was dedicated to daggers, while another one, also incased in class and padlocked, held bombs and other explosive devices.

"Bombs. You have bombs in this world?"

"Of course we do, Link uses them occasionally and I know for sure that every man in his militia knows how to at least set a bomb. They are a tad touchy to manufacture though, hence the high price. You have to have a special case for them as well, lest they explode in your pants."

Wren meandered over to another shelf while Sha'Lyn eyed glass bottles, this one stacked with books. The topics ranged from general cook books, to history, to children's fairy tales. Wren was immediately drawn to both a cook book and a history book. She was scanning the first few pages of the cook book, noting recipes like "Roasted Hare with Plum Sauce" and "Stuffed Elk Shoulder" when a scratchy voice interrupted the silence.

"This isn't a library you know, if you want to read it, you have to buy it."

Wren looked all around for the source of the voice, finally looking down to see the smallest person she had ever laid eyes on. He stood no taller than a toddler, his dark brown hair cropped in a bowl around his head. He was chubby, almost wider than he was tall. Wren felt like she could've kicked him over and he'd roll away from her.

"I'm sorry, I was just scanning it to see if I'd like it."

The small man sized her up, starting at her toes and ending at her eyes, "Not a library. Buy it or leave. You two have been loitering in my shop for quite some time, taking up space for other customers."

Wren looked around, not a single other customer was in the store.

 _I bet I know why._

"We are the only two in here!" it came out more exasperated than she planned, "Besides, I might talk Sha'Lyn over there into buying both of these books for me. I just have to see if I like them or not."

The man turned towards Sha'Lyn, "A Sheik! That's a bad omen right there! And don't think for a second that I didn't see the other Sheik wandering around! Two Sheiks in our village!" He rounded on Wren, "And that is your company?! Where do you hail from with your rounded ears and ignorance?!"

Wren's face reddened, she gently placed both the books back, more than a little disappointed, "I think I changed my mind on the books." She sidestepped around the little man, which was made awkward by the fact that he refused to move out of her direct path, and approached Sha'Lyn.

"I just met the rudest employee ever. He called you a bad omen and asked me why I was so stupid. I don't think I'm interested in shopping here anymore."

Sha'Lyn placed a gorgeous hand blown glass bottle back on the shelf and turned towards Wren with a sad smile on her face, "A bad omen huh? He's an old timer stuck in his old timer ways. I haven't heard a Sheikah called a bad omen in quite some time. We used to be considered omens, far back during the dark days, but not recently. Shame really. I liked that bottle and would've paid the money for it."

They exited the shop and were halfway to Renado's house when Wren spoke up, "Why would Sheik's be considered bad omens?"

"There's the question I was waiting for. It's because everywhere we go, or went rather, death seemed to follow. If a Sheikah was seen in public, war was typically imminent. In a way, that old fart back there might not be wrong."

"Because I'm supposed to stop an evil force. Supposed to stop a war."

Sha'Lyn nodded her head in silent agreement.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was spent napping. Wren sprawled out on a couch in the main room, her breath steady, Sha'Lyn standing vigilant next to her. Link wandered in around four o'clock, covered in dust and dripping sweat.

"I just got back from visiting the Gorons. How they stand the heat that close to the caldera is beyond me, but they needed to know about Wren and since I'm in town I figured I'd make the hike."

"Where's The Guardian?"

"Sheik? He was wandering around the town last I knew. He could be up at the hot springs or taking care of whatever business he has here. He will be back before too long, the sun will be set in an hour or so and we will head out."

A pang of sadness struck Sha'Lyn in the chest, she turned to face the sleeping Wren and remained silent.

Link crept next to her, "She will be okay Sha'Lyn. Trust me. She will be safe. She can write to you if you want her to. I just need somewhere to send the letters."

Sha'Lyn sniffed, up until now Wren's departure hadn't seemed real, it seemed like something far away, something that might not really happen.

"I would like that. Address all letters to Sha'Lyn of the Forest Sheikah. Your postman will know what to do from there, he hasn't failed us yet."

Link gave a sad smile, "You did an excellent job Sha'Lyn, caring for and escorting a Goddess. Impa would've been proud of you."

"Thank you Link. You give me more praise than I deserve."

"Just take the compliment! You Sheiks and your refusal to accept praise. Sheik still does it, it gets old."

Sha'Lyn laughed, "Well, we are always supposed to be serious after all. We don't like to feel good about ourselves. Don't like to be boastful. Giving us a compliment puts us in an awkward place. We can't accept it without seeming arrogant, but turning it down would seem insulting."

It was Link's turn to laugh, "So, you're human? That's good to know! I always though Sheik was some sort of emotionless machine."

They shared a laugh until Wren rolled onto her side, not even fully awake and muttered, "You guys need to take this somewhere else. A Goddess is trying to sleep here, now be gone from my presence. Twits." She was asleep as soon as the words left her mouth.

Sha'Lyn chuckled again, "Oh yeah, that. She gets goofy when she's tired, turns into a bit of a child. So, have fun with that."

"So she turns into me when my sleep is interrupted. Excellent, that I can deal with." He turned, an ice cold bath was calling his name.

* * *

Sha'Lyn nudged Wren awake shortly before supper was served. The sun was nearly set, gentle oranges, pinks, and yellows kissed the horizon, the almost oppressive heat of the day replaced with more agreeable temperatures.

They sat in the same places as they had at breakfast, Sha'Lyn and Wren eating in silence. Neither of them wanted to discuss leaving the other.

 _You slept almost all afternoon you ass. You could've spent more time with Sha'Lyn._

Supper ended far too quickly, and before Wren really knew what was happening, the six Forest Sheikah guards were out the door readying their horses. Renado, Link, Sheik, Sha'Lyn and Wren were left sitting around the fire pit.

Finally Link broke the somber silence, "So, the sooner we head out the better. We already won't arrive at the castle until around six in the morning. The horses are ready to go… I think it's about that time…"

He trailed off, Wren still didn't want to move, didn't want to leave Sha'Lyn. She was having second thoughts about riding at night. Something in her gut told her to speak up.

 _Trust your instincts._

 _But also trust those around you._

"This sucks. Can't we stay just a little longer? One more night and then take off in the morning?"

Sheik regarded Wren with unmistakable sadness while Link answered, "I know leaving Sha'Lyn is hard Wren, especially after everything she's done for you, but, we really do need to ride tonight. The castle is a far safer place and my wife is expecting us in the morning. She will send an army after us if we don't arrive on time. You will see Sha'Lyn again, and that is a promise."

 _Trust those around you. They will keep you safe._

 _But also trust your instincts._

Wren swallowed and slowly nodded her head. She stood and followed Link and Sheik outside, Sha'Lyn and Renado not far behind.

A chestnut horse with a white tail and mane stood in the dirt yard not far from the door. She wasn't tethered to anything, she was simply waiting for her master to return. This was Link's horse, the same one from Wren's premonition. Link strode up to her, patted her nose and introduced her to Wren as Epona.

Another horse, this one a dark midnight black stood next to Epona. He was black all over, his black mane flowing seamlessly into his neck and his tail indiscernible from his rear. This horse was larger than Epona and Monsoon and rippled with both muscles and pent up energy.

Up until now, Wren had thought Monsoon was a true war horse, but she realized just how mistaken she was. Monsoon was built for the woods and for speed; this horse was built for aggression, strength, and agility. Wren was more than a little nervous to ride this stead.

Sheik approached the horse and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder, "This is Ides. I've had him since he was only a colt and trained him myself. He knows his way out of any situation and will do whatever it takes to see that we get to the castle safely."

Wren didn't want to approach the horse. His dark eyes seemed to size her up immediately as someone unworthy of riding him.

"Don't be intimidated by him. A friend of mine is a friend of his. He knows better than to bite or buck any of my allies."

Wren slowly approached Ides and gave him a tentative pat on the nose. The horse blinked; he was only allowing Wren to pet him because Sheik was there, if he wasn't she would be missing a few fingers right now. Wren withdrew her hand and backed away.

Link was checking the packs on Epona's saddle for both content and security. Once satisfied he approached Renado, "Well, thanks for hosting us. Thanks for letting us eat you out of house and home and letting us sleep here."

"It was nice to meet you, thanks for letting us crash here for a while. Sorry a demon got in and turned my room into a puddle. It shouldn't happen again any time soon. At least I hope not."

"My Sheikah guards give their thanks as well Renado. Sleeping in cots is fairly luxurious compared to other places we've bunked."

"And thank you for opening your stables to Epona and Ides. A rested horse is a strong horse."

Renado smiled and waved off all their thank yous, "My house is always open. Any time day or night, just drop by. Even if I'm not here, you all know how to get in. Don't worry about the puddles Wren, the dried up quick enough." He turned and reentered his home, allowing the remaining four some privacy.

Wren faced Sha'Lyn, "Well, I guess I'll see you around…"

"You will see me again Goddess, I swear it."

Before Sha'Lyn could stop her, before Wren could second guess if she was breaking any social taboos, she embraced Sha'Lyn. Wren found herself biting back unexpected tears. Sha'Lyn gently returned the hug, her hands rubbing Wren's back.

They stayed like that for a short time, Wren stifling tears, Sha'Lyn rubbing small circles over the back of Wren's shoulders. Link and Sheik seemed to melt into the distance.

Finally Sha'Lyn broke the hug and urged Wren towards Sheik, "It's past twilight. You need to go and I need to return to my city. I will write to you, and I expect a letter back every time. So help me, if I don't hear from you, I will charge the castle myself."

Wren laughed a soft, tear choked chuckle, "Well that won't work. A Sheik storming the royal household over a letter. People would think we were lovers. Imagine all the rumors that would spread. You know, I might ignore a few of your letters now, start some chaos."

Sha'Lyn had mounted Monsoon, her six warriors were waiting just beyond Renado's fence, "I look forward to it. See you later Goddess."

She turned her horse and was off down the mountain path.

The three stood silent in the night until the last of the six Sheikah guards rounded the bend and was out of eyesight.

Wren turned to face the men, still choking back tears, "Right, well, we need to be somewhere right? Let's get going."

 _Damn it, I do not cry. This is ridiculous, you only knew her for two days._

 _She saved your life…_

Link tentatively approached Wren, he acted as though he wanted to hug her, but felt like it was far too early in their relationship for such an action. He compromised by placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, a sympathetic expression on his face, "You will see her again, maybe sooner than you think. The Harvest Ball will be held in a month or so, and then the Winter Ball after that. The Forest Sheikah are always invited, and now she would have even more motivation to attend."

Wren sniffed and tried to compose herself, "Balls huh? Just like big parties celebrating whatever comes up?"

Link smiled and nodded, "Pretty much an excuse for anyone in the Royal Court to get drunk. Zelda likes to have them to maintain peaceful relationships with the outlying tribes. I like them because the food and wine are always excellent. Sheik likes them because it gives him more time to brood and more bodies to protect."

Sheik narrowed his eyes but gave no response.

Link continued, "Plus they provide an excellent time to socialize. As King, I can talk to tribal leaders, just check up on them and make sure everything in the realm is hunky-dory. If a particular tribe, or farmer, is having troubles, I can try to fix them in whatever way I see fit.

"Oftentimes, people won't approach the castle directly, or they won't send a diplomat to Court, it's too formal and can be intimidating. These parties provide a time for everyone to get a little loose on wine and other spirits, sate themselves on food, and air their grievances or brag about the lack thereof."

The corners of Wren's mouth curved upwards in a weak smile, "So, you get everyone overfed and drunk in order to learn about their problems."

"Mmmhhhmmm."

"That's wonderful! Love it. Has anyone ever gotten so wasted that they had to be escorted out?"

"Nah. We've had a fair share of people opt to stay the night at the castle instead of at one of the local inns, but that's to be expected. If anyone gets too drunk we just force a healing potion down their throat and away they go."

They were beside the horses, Sheik had to help Wren onto Ides while Link gracefully pulled himself onto Epona, "So, these healing potions really can cure anything huh? From injuries, to fever, to drunkenness."

"Pretty much. Some people can't stomach the stuff though, and you have to be careful. You can overdoes on it, too much of a good thing type of thing. If you are healthy and take a dose it can turn your stomach right quick."

Sheik settled in the saddle behind Wren, and the trio was off into the night.

* * *

The path leading down the mountain from Kakariko opened into a wide dirt plain where only a few dry shrubs dotted the landscape. Castle Town could be seen in the distance, the towers of Hyrule Castle jutting into the sky. The moon was at a crescent, providing minimal light for the riders, and Wren strained her neck looking up at the stars. Sheik's hard body pressed directly into her back, his arms encircling hers in order to hold Ides's reins, his knees buffeting the backs of hers. She rested her hands on her thighs; Link rode slightly ahead of them, sitting tall in his saddle, sword and shield both strapped to his back. Wren noticed that each rider also carried a bow and a quiver full of arrows strapped to the horses' saddles.

She couldn't have fallen asleep even if she wanted to. She was refreshed from her afternoon nap, which was far longer than she intended it to be, and the strange wiggly feeling in her gut had returned.

 _I'm nervous… probably just because I'm going to be living with royalty from here on out._

 _Remember what the Goddess told you, trust your instincts._

 _My instincts are just telling me that I'm nervous._

 _Yes, but why. What would cause you to feel such unease?_

Wren chewed on her lip, and subconsciously nuzzled herself further into Sheik, the top of her hood tickling his chin.

"Are you okay? If you need to sleep you can."

Wren barely shook her head, "I'm fine. I just feel uneasy. I can't really explain why."

 _Short, sweet, and to the point._

Sheik remained silent for a small moment before asking Wren if she had had any premonitions before tonight.

"Yeah, I did. I had one the night Sha'Lyn saved me. It wasn't really all that pleasant…" she let herself trail off, hoping that Sheik wouldn't push the issue.

"Premonitions don't always have to come true."

"Yeah, I know, Sha'Lyn told me that. I think the Goddess just wanted to speak to me in mine. She showed me what could come to pass should I fail; civilization in ruin, Link and the Queen dead, myself gone to who knows where. So, no pressure or anything."

"We will train you at the castle. Link, Zelda and myself. We will each teach you what we specialize in: Link in sword play and arms, Zelda in magic, and I will teach you the art of stealth and various other tactics. You will be more than ready to face whatever comes your way."

"You have this all planned out huh?"

Sheik was totally unabashed, "Yes. We will each train you and, somehow, find time to find the Triforce of Power that was hidden away by Din so long ago. Hopefully you can aid us on that quest as well."

"Sheik, I didn't even know what the Triforce was until a few days ago, and I still don't have a complete understanding of it."

Sheik sighed, "The Triforce's history is a long one, its story will take some time."

"Time is what we have Sheik. Plus, a good story is what I need right now, might help me put my mind at ease."

Sheik smiled behind his cowl. Deep down he loved teaching people, he would've been a scholar had he not been selected to be the Castle Guardian. In his spare time he could be found reading either in the castle's library or in his room.

He began, his tone becoming softer and he spoke in an unhurried rhythm that suggested he was reciting poetry, "Once, there were three Goddesses. Din, Nayru, and Farore. They descended on this desolate land to create the Earth, and the seas, the mountains, and the plains. They each possessed a gift, a piece of the Triforce. Din carried the Triforce of Power, which she used to create the strength in the mountains and the seas. Nayru held the Triforce of Wisdom, which she bestowed on the first creatures of this world to help them survive. And Farore held the Triforce of Courage, which was granted to all living beings, plants, animals, Gorons, Zora, and man alike, to help them be brave in times of hardship and war."

Link had slightly slowed Epona so he was beside the two, remaining silent in order to enjoy Sheik's steady, almost hypnotic words.

"But, there were also rumors of a fourth Goddess. The mother of Din, Nayru and Farore. This Goddess would have carried a piece of the Triforce with extraordinary powers. Powers that not even the scholars could describe. She would have been omnipotent and awesome. These stories were not based on fact, but more on instinct. People felt as though she was there, but they could not prove it.

"For a time there was peace, but, war quickly ravaged the land. A dark force from another time and place had clawed his way into our world. He brought with him an army of darkness and monsters. Plague and pestilence swept the land and the majority of the population perished.

"The people cried out for the three Goddesses, they begged the fabled fourth, but it seemed that no help was coming. They armed themselves against the dark armies, but were no trained for such evil. Many men had never so much as held a sword; there was no need to train prior to this, they thought the Goddesses would always protect them.

"Finally, after nearly three quarters of the population was depleted, and the people had lost all hope, the fourth Goddess appeared. She took the form of a young woman, and with a giant scythe, rent the inhabited land from the poisoned earth and flung it skyward."

Wren interrupted, "What? Why would she do that? Why not just destroy the evil?"

"I'm getting to that. She had to protect her people before she cleansed the land. The fourth Goddess had to destroy the entire landscape, she had to recreate the earth with her three daughters. In short, she had to torch the entire landscape to make it pure again."

Wren thought back to something Sha'Lyn had told her, "But, what about the Sheikah? Were they not on the earth this entire time? How were they not killed?"

"The Sheikah were not present during this time. They were the first people on the land after the majority, but not all, of the evil had been destroyed. The Sheikah were created by the Goddess herself, they differed from the people living Skyward, and were originally designed to prepare the land for future inhabitants."

Her question answered, Wren remained silent and let Sheik continue, "Over time, the Sky Children, along with the Goddess reincarnated and the original Hero fell. The pieces of the Triforce were scattered, lost to time, and the people lived happily.

"But there was a curse, a terrible and powerful curse that would affect the Royal Family and the Heroes for generations. The curse was spat by the Dark Lord at the original Hero after he was flung into the Dark Realm. He cursed the decedents of the Hero and the Goddess with ongoing trials, and promised he would return.

"Every several generations a new evil is reborn, along with a new Hero to slay that evil. The pieces of the Triforce, all of them but the fourth, are regathered and distributed among the Hero and his allies.

"In the most recent regeneration, the Dark Lord incarnate took the name Ganondorf. He obtained the Triforce of Power and forced the Queen into hiding. The Hero was sealed away in the Sacred Realm for ten years before he was old enough to fight Ganondorf. In those ten years terror claimed the land. Redeads roamed Castle Town's abandoned streets, the sea was poisoned, and the mountains filled with monsters.

"That was hundreds of years ago. Once Ganondorf was sealed away peace returned to this land. Link and Zelda both carry pieces of the Triforce, the Triforce of Power has been lost, purposely hidden away by Din, and there have been no signs of evil."

"Up until I fell into this world…"

Sheik made a noise of agreement, "And we think that this oncoming evil is going to possess a power we have never seen. If the Goddess believes she has to transport her vessel here, especially after having been hidden away for so long…" he didn't finish his thought.

Wren finished for him, "Shit's going to go down."

Link chuckled, "Precisely."

They were closer to Castle Town now, Wren could see the giant wall encircling the city and she managed to make out some of the larger buildings thanks to the lights flickering in the windows.

A cloud moved over the moon, obscuring the minimal light it provided and a cool breeze swept across the grassy field.

Wren shivered again, not entirely from the breeze, and pulled her cloak around her. The wiggly feeling in her stomach was back, she felt like she was going to puke.

"Do we have any water?"

Link reached into one of his saddle bags and produced a canteen. Wren took an uneasy sip, dribbled half of it down her chin, corked and returned it to Link, and began chewing her lip again.

"You're going to chew a hole in your lip if you don't stop."

Wren blurted out the first thing that came to her mind, "Something's not right. I don't know what, but something's wrong."

Link eyed Sheik and spurned Epona into a quick trot. Sheik followed suit with Ides, and soon they were bumping along the path, Castle Town growing on the horizon."

"We will enter through the south gate. It won't be open, but the guards know we are coming. There, we will dismount and enter the castle through the main entrance."

Wren felt Sheik shake his head, "The south gate is closer, but the east entrance leads directly into our stables. I favor that, we will be safe on the grounds instead of having to travel through the city."

"The east gate is across an open bridge though. We will be wide open for anything that comes our way with only two ways out. The south gate opens to the field, we can flee if anyone, or anything, tries to attack."

Sheik opened his mouth to argue when an arrow flew right by his head.

Link spurned Epona into a full gallop, Sheik following in his wake, the wind whistling around Wren's ears.

Wren's hood came loose and was thrown back with the wind. She was exposed.

Another arrow whizzed by, this one nearly clipping Link's ear. Wren turned as best as she could in the saddle and her stomach dropped.


	11. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Okay, 1. I just want to say thank you, thank you, and thank you again for everyone who has stuck with this story. I never intended for it to take ten chapters to get to the castle... so thanks for sticking with me. I am humbled by the fact that I have had over one hundred visitors to this story, so, seriously, thank you.

2\. School starts back up here soon, and for some of you that means returning to your classrooms. For me, that means returning to my job. I will try my hardest to not let this story die, but updates might be few, far, and in between. I churned out these two chapters today because it's my last day off because I have to go in for in-service work. Once school starts it will be One Act season, followed by Speech season, so I will stay busy.

3\. I was rereading some of the old chapters, and holy hell, typos, typos everywhere. Seriously guys, call me out on that bullshit! I proof read, but the author's curse is that they _know_ what they want their words to be, so they read it like that in their heads. If you catch any continuity stuff call me out on that too!

4\. Thanks again for the few people that have decided to follow this story, I hope I don't disappoint you.

5\. Tits to long author's notes.

6\. Sorry.

* * *

Behind them was an army of monsters. Bokoblins, both on foot and mounted on their boars, the same giant lizard men from Wren's premonition, and a handful of skeletal soldiers marching in ranks.

Oddly enough, the army didn't concern Wren. The man who led it did. He was mounted on a horse somehow darker than Ides, his clothes and features were all dark, almost as though they were hidden away by smoke. He leaned forward in his saddle, urging his horse on, a look of madness in his dark red eyes.

Wren closed turned back around, closed her eyes and prayed that the horses could outrun this army.

Link glanced over his shoulder and cursed, "Damn it! That's my Dark Incarnate. I do not have time for him right now. We have to outrun them, or at the very least get close enough to the city that our archers can start to take out some of his army."

Sheik peaked over his shoulder, "Not enough there to be an army, Link. So that's good."

Link smiled and rolled his eyes as another arrow whished by his head, "Semantics Sheik! They can't aim either. Perfect."

 _This is madness, laughing during this situation._

 _Lighten up Wren, these two know what they are doing._

 _Lighten up, seriously, lighten up. We are being attacked!_

 _Okay, fine. Calm your tits._

 _Goddamn it._

The horses thundered along, ripping up clods of dirt in their wake. The sound of their pursuers getting louder by the minute, Castle Town looming closer in the pre-dawn light.

A sharp wiggle pierced Wren's stomach, an agitated spikey worm making its way through her intestines.

She opened her eyes and turned to see a Bokoblin, far closer than he should've been, notching an arrow. He was aiming for the back of Sheik's head.

Time slowed. Wren saw the Bokoblin fire the arrow, the bowstring vibrating as the arrow launched. It was coming this way, Wren could detect only the slightest bit of wobble in the arrow. If this arrow flew true, Sheik would be dead in a matter of seconds.

Wren threw her right hand out, fingers splayed, and shouted "No!"

There was a disturbance in the air like a wavy mirage one would see in the distance on hot days. It waved from her hand in an oval big enough to cover the back of Sheik's head. It popped into existence from Wren's hand with a small hum and a rushing 'fwoomp' sound.

The air around them warmed fast enough to steal the air out of their lungs and cooled with a snap. The arrow met the disturbance, hoovered, and then fell, all while Ides galloped at full speed.

Time returned to normal, Wren drew back her hand. It was red to the wrist, almost as though she had bad sunburn, and hurt like crazy. She cradled it in her left hand and allowed herself a small whimper.

Sheik exhaled through his nose and spurned Ides on.

The Dark Incarnate drew closer. He was nearly upon them when Link turned Epona to face him.

"Go! Take the eastern gate! I will stall him and his men, get them close enough to the city walls that the archers can return fire."

Sheik didn't hesitate or argue, he only turned Ides and they ran to the eastern gate.

Wren squeaked out, "Will he be okay?"

"Link knows what he's doing. He will face his Dark Incarnate on horseback and lead them as close to the walls as possible before he faces them. Right now, he's just serving as a distraction for us to get away."

"What if we are pursued?"

"Link won't let that happen."

 _Have faith in those around you. Trust them_

They rode for a very short while, the sounds of combat behind them, until they came to a large, long, bridge.

It was high off the ground, situated over a large canyon with a river rushing through it. The bridge was wide enough to allow five carriages to ride side by side and made of sturdy stone. Tall walls ran down the sides of the bridge to ensure safety; tall iron spikes ran over the tops of them in a fencelike pattern.

Across the bridge was a massive set of wooden double doors, set smoothly in a stone archway. The archway was lit from the inside, archers manned their posts. The closer Wren got, the more she noticed; at least a dozen archers were standing at attention, bows drawn and ready to fire at any moment. Small notches in the stone provided the archers a way to aim and fire while still providing cover.

Sheik slowed Ides to a quick gallop as they approached the doors, which seemed to open on their own. The giant hinges didn't make a sound as the doors were flung outward, revealing a large grassy area and a tunnel beyond.

The doors had closed behind them when the ground directly in front of them began to shake and crumble. A large crack appeared in the soil. With a loud panicked whine, Ides reared onto his hind legs in shock forcing Wren to grab the horn set atop the pommel. She cried out, her right hand still burned, and slid back into sheik who was trying his hardest to calm Ides back onto four legs.

Something was climbing out of the ground, forcing its way up the gash in the soil. First its head, followed by shoulders, arms, and hands emerged. Ides settled, Sheik steered him back towards the closed doors, and the thing was finally out of the ground.

It was a giant, bulky skeleton, much like the ones she had seen pursuing them. It stood at six and a half feet tall, dead skin hung in clumps off of his white bones. The bones were large, far larger than any man's, and he carried a jagged sword and shield. A small helmet was fitted to the cap of his skull, which was plastered in a permanent toothy grin. His eyes were made up of hollow sockets, totally devoid of life.

Arrows rushed by them. Any other enemy would've fallen, but the arrows simply hung limp in its ribs and eyes.

"Hold fire! I will kill it!"

Sheik dismounted Ides, who had been pacing around the enemy, in one graceful leap. He walked with his pacing horse, no visible weapons drawn, until they were close to the tunnel. He looked into Ides's eyes, nodded his head towards the tunnel, and faced the monster.

Before Wren could argue or plead with Sheik to stay with her, Ides was off, his hooves echoing through the dark tunnel. She was alone.

Torches lined the tunnel here and there, the only other light coming from the end of the tunnel.

The light gradually got brighter until Wren found herself in a stable. Ides slowed, trotted over what must've been his stall, and knelt on his front knees to allow Wren to awkwardly slide over his side.

She wanted to collapse, rest in the hay a bit, the smell of manure and straw filling her nostrils, but she couldn't. She gave Ides a gentle pat on the nose, looked him straight in his dark eyes and whispered her thanks.

Wren turned and came face to face with a young boy. He appeared to be twelve, maybe thirteen, had sandy blond hair with bits of straw in it, and dark brown eyes. He was shorter than Wren, average for his height, skinny and gangly. He wore dark brown breeches, muck covered boots, and a loose fitting button up cotton shirt.

"You must be the visitor everyone is excited about I'm Aeron a stable boy here where's Sir Sheik and Sir Link?" He spoke this all in one breath, his voice cracking occasionally with awkward squeaks brought on by the onset of puberty.

"I'm Wren. Sheik and Link, Sir Link, are facing dark forces outside of the walls. Sheik encountered a skeleton monster in small area outside of this tunnel. He's still fighting it."

The boy's eyes widened, "Follow me, we have to get you into the castle itself." He turned towards Ides, who stood by patiently, "I will unharness you when I return. That's a promise. I might see if I can scrounge up some sugar or an apple or two for you as well."

Ides nickered and gently picked some of the straw out of Aeron's hair.

Aeron turned and led Wren out of the wooden stables and into a giant courtyard. Dawn had finally approached, birds were singing and the courtyard smelled of flowers and fresh cut grass.

Aeron hustled Wren down a stone path leading towards another set of large wooden doors set into the castle itself.

The ground began to shake in front of them, another crack opened, a skeletal hand reaching its way out. Aeron was frozen, and before Wren knew what she was doing, she grabbed his collar with her left hand and steered him away.

"Is there another way in?"

"Yes, the kitchen entrance, follow me."

He turned and ran across the manicured lawn to another path, this one leading to a less noticeable door set in a corner.

The skeleton had drawn himself out of the earth and began to take chase. He was nearly on them when he jumped, far higher than any mortal man, straight over them. He landed, his bones rattling against each other and in their sockets, in front of them with his sword drawn.

Aeron and Wren turned, the skeleton jumped over them again. They turned again, and again he jumped. He was playing with them.

Aeron stepped in front of Wren, raised his skinny arms and clenched his fists, "I'm not sc-scared of you!" His voice quivered and squeaked, betraying him.

He looked absurd, a skinny boy in the onset of puberty planning to fist fight a giant skeleton with a sword.

The skeleton leered, his ribs creaking with what could have been called laughter. He raised his sword and time slowed again.

His sword fell in slow motion, set to divide Aeron in two. Wren put both her hands out and screamed, "No! Stop! You can't hurt him! It's me you're after!"

The same heat as before overtook them, followed by the coldness. The hum, along with the 'fwoomp' was louder this time. She produced a much larger wave, this one covered the entirety of Aeron and herself.

She felt her heart beat in her neck and the wave pulsed. It pulsed again, in time with her heartbeat, and pushed the skeleton back.

He landed in a heap of bones at their feet.

Time returned to normal. Aeron still stood with his arms raised, mouth agape. The bones before them quivered with life.

Wren fell to her knees, her hands burned. Her right arm was now red up to her elbow, her left hand burned to the wrist.

Her chest hurt, it was as though she had just run a marathon. Tears stung the corners of her eyes; she couldn't have talked if she wanted to.

Aeron finally came to his senses, hoisted Wren up by her armpits, and together they hobble-ran towards the kitchen entrance. Wren's injured arms flopped stupidly by her side.

He flung the doors open, and Wren's senses were assaulted with the smells of bread and bacon. She huffed, willing her feet forward so she didn't collapse in the doorway.

The bones continued to rattle in the pile behind them; Aeron slammed and latched the door.

A small, plump woman rushed up to them. Her gray hair was in a messy bun on top of her head, her dress stained with various sauces and dried doughs.

She immediately addressed Aeron, "What happened? Why did you come through the kitchen door and not take the main one?"

"A Stalfo attacked us. I couldn't destroy the bones, he's probably reassembled by now." Poor Aeron was out of breath, shaking to the core. He tried to put on a brave face, especially since it seemed that girls about his age were the primary kitchen workers.

"A Stalfo on the castle grounds?!"

Aeron nodded, and Wren finally let lose a choked sob. She couldn't cradle her hands and it hurt to stand.

"Go alert the Queen, tell her we have Stalfos on the castle property."

Wren managed to choke out a small "No." She had found herself a stool in the corner, and sat there willing her hands to heal themselves.

The woman turned to her, puzzled, and Wren swallowed and managed, "Send someone else. I want Aeron here with me." It hurt to talk, the words burning in her throat.

Aeron blushed, but still moved to stand by Wren.

The woman clucked her tongue and turned to face the rest of the workers in the kitchen, "Anna, I'm sure you've been listening in this whole time. Go, alert the Queen that her visitor is here. Tell her dark enemies were spotted on the castle property. Run now!"

A skinny young woman, perhaps eighteen years old, set down the dough ball she was working with, hoisted up her skirts, and ran up a set of stairs.

Wren's breathing was shallow, it was as though her body couldn't relax. Her heartrate was still high and she wanted nothing more than to tell someone about Link and Sheik.

The woman squatted so she was eye level with Wren. She eyed her burnt arms, a look of maternal concern on her face, "Can you stand, honey? I can lay you down on the table if you can manage to get over there."

Wren nodded and attempted to stand; she swayed and slumped onto the older woman. She tried to right herself, tried to apologize, but the lady had already looped an arm around her waist and was guiding her towards a large table set in the center of the room.

She gently laid Wren unto the smooth wood, tucking her cloak under her. Wren's arms sprawled by her sides, palms facing toward the ceiling, her fingers slightly curved. The cool wood seemed to soothe the burns.

Aeron followed and took a seat beside Wren's head, perfectly in her peripheral vision.

She closed her eyes, and attempted to calm her breathing, and tried to settle her heart that threatened to beat a hole straight through her breast.

The older woman approached, her soft footsteps causing Wren to reopen her eyes. She held two glass bottles in her hands. One swam with a clear liquid, the other with red.

Wren managed a weak smile, a healing potion, excellent.

The lady uncorked the bottle of red potion, crawled onto the table, and sat Wren's head in her lap. She scooted so Wren sat at a small incline and fed the red potion to her like a mother feeding a bottle to her baby.

The potion tasted like sour cherries and provided immediate relief to Wren. The burning turned to a dull ache, her heartrate slowed and her breathing settled.

The water followed, cool and refreshing.

The lady gently laid Wren's head back down and shuffled off the table.

Footsteps echoed down the stairs, Anna entered the kitchen followed by another woman.

She was the same height as Wren, her long blond hair tumbling down her back. Her soft blue eyes scanned Wren's prone form. She was casually dressed, as though she had to throw her clothes on in a hurry, in a white skirt and a pink tunic top. The skirt kissed the top of her sandaled feet. It was the same woman as Wren's premonition, only with her head firmly attached to the rest of her body.

Aeron gasped and pushed himself away from the table.

Wren's vocal cords were still hot, but she did manage to wheeze out, "No! Don't leave Aeron. Please don't go!"

Aeron froze, torn between wanting to stay next to Wren and wanting to maintain courtly manners.

The short silence was broken by the blond woman's soft chuckle, "Aeron, you heard her. Stay. It seems like she doesn't want you to leave, and far be it from me to force you back to the stables, especially with a Stalfo stomping around our garden."

Aeron blushed and slowly shuffled back towards the table.

The woman looked down at Wren again, "My name is Zelda, Queen of this Realm. And you must be Wren. Glad to finally meet you. I did wish it would've been in better circumstances though."

Zelda eyed Wren's burnt arms, the skin starting to blister and peel, "What happened here?"

Wren opened her mouth but the words hitched in her throat. She coughed, her heartrate was speeding up again, the harsh burning sensation returning to her arms.

She bit back a sob, tears falling into her ears.

Zelda furrowed her eyebrows and took stock of the empty bottles still sitting on the table, "Henrietta, how many bottles of potion did you give her?"

The older woman replied, "Just one, shortly before you got here. The second bottle had water. It shouldn't be wearing off already."

Wren whined, a pathetic high pitched noise. She couldn't catch her breath, her arms burned, her heart beat a quick staccato against her ribs.

Zelda turned to Aeron, "What did she do to cause this? Do you know?"

Aeron didn't hesitate, "My Lady, she made some sort of force field. I stood between her in the Stalfo, who raised his sword to attack, and the next thing I know some sort of barrier is blocking his blow. She standing behind me and seemed to push him away. The Stalfo crumbled and Wren fell to her knees. Her right hand had been red before that, so maybe she made another force field before the tunnel to the stables. I managed to get her on her feet and we hobbled into the kitchen."

"Was Sir Sheik with her?"

"No Ma'am, she was alone on Ides."

Zelda's eyebrows knit together. She had known about Link battling his Dark Incarnate outside of the castle walls, an archer had sent word as soon as possible. They were finishing off the last of the dark army now. Sheik however, he should've made it to the east gate.

Zelda turned to Wren and placed a comforting hand on her forehead, "When was Sheik attacked?"

Wren leaned into Zelda's cool palm, "After the eastern arch. A Stalfo attacked. Just one. Sheik jumped off Ides and spurned him through the tunnel." She hissed a breath through her teeth, her fingers twitching in pain.

"One Stalfo will not be a challenge for Sheik. The one in the courtyard will be easy pickings as well. He will be okay."

Footsteps thundered above them. Someone was rushing around the castle, frantically looking for someone or something.

Zelda sighed and hollered up the stairs, "We are in the kitchen Link!"

Link thunked down the stairs, skipping every other step, and bounded into the kitchen.

He had a gash on his forehead, blood threating to drip into his eyes, but was otherwise unharmed. His sword and shield back in their place on his back, sweat plastered his hair to his neck.

Henrietta quickly bustled out of the kitchen, forcing the other eavesdropping kitchen workers with her. She quickly returned, no workers with her, with another bottle of red potion.

Link uncorked the bottle with his teeth and downed it in two quick gulps. He sighed, set the bottle down, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The gash on his brow began to knit itself into one smooth piece of skin.

"Where's Sheik?"

Zelda shook her head, "He should be here shortly. He got held up by a few Stalfos. They were apparently attacked in the paddock just inside the eastern gate."

Wren wheezed again, "Aeron tried to protect me. Stood between me and a Stalfo in the courtyard."

Link and Zelda turned to stare at Aeron, who blushed and looked at the ground, "S'nothing really… I mean, I just did what felt right."

Link addressed the young man, "Take a couple of days off Aeron. I have one hundred rupees with your name on it. Buy whatever you want."

Zelda slowly nodded her head, "You showed incredible bravery Aeron, standing between a stranger and a Stalfo, completely unarmed. Stay on this path and I foresee a knighthood in your future."

Aeron blushed a deeper crimson, "Thank you, My Majesties."

 _Right, Royalty._

Very soft footsteps patted down the stairs, a bloody Sheik strode into the kitchen. He collapsed into a kitchen chair, and Henrietta hurried out for more potion.

Sheik was nursing a gash in his right arm, blood flowed profusely through his fingers. Wren could've cried, he was hurt because of her.

 _Not your fault._

Link spoke, "What happened to you?"

"Stalfos. Two of them. One in the paddock, the other in the courtyard." Sheik's voice was steady, it showed no signs of his injury. He gently lifted the gauze off of the cut, grimaced, and reapplied pressure.

"What happened to Wren?"

Zelda retold Aeron's story, Sheik's eyes growing more and more concerned.

"I shouldn't have left her alone."

"No. Stalfos shouldn't have been in my courtyard."

"How did they get here anyway?"

Zelda sighed and shook her head, "I don't know. I will have to have some of the men sweep the property after we get everything sorted out."

Henrietta had returned with a bottle of potion for Sheik. He clumsily uncorked the bottle with his left hand and downed it.

His arm began to mend itself, the blood still saturating his clothes.

Wren whined again, the heat was unbearable. Her arms were burnt, maybe beyond repair, and they hadn't begun to heal themselves yet.

She whimpered out a small, "Why?"

Henrietta mothered over her, "Why what, darling?"

"Haven't healed yet. Why? I usually-"

Link interrupted her, "Aeron, Henrietta, would you please give us some privacy?"

The two started at Link's abruptness but didn't disobey. Before Wren could cry out for Aeron, he was gone through the door to the courtyard. Henrietta had vanished into the bowels of the kitchen.

Link waited until they were gone and addressed Zelda, "She can heal herself. Quickly too." He briefly told Zelda about Wren's adventures with Sha'Lyn and Ghirahim's attack.

"For her hands to still be burnt… it's strange."

Zelda considered this, "She summoned Nayru's love by the sound of it, I don't know how though, that's such a powerful spell. Even under high stress, she shouldn't have been able to."

"Why the burns?"

Zelda shook her head, "I don't know. That might have to do with the stress as well… she might not have properly summoned it."

More tears trickled out of Wren's eyes, she wanted to pass out.

"Purple potion. I want purple potion."

Sheik set a heavily bandaged hand on Wren's forehead. The gesture briefly calmed her.

Wren let go and sobbed, "Please."

Zelda flinched, it was the same sobbing cry she had heard in her premonition. She strode away from the table, purple potion on her mind.

Zelda returned empty handed, "We're out…"

Wren wanted to bawl like a child not getting her way. She held it back and compromised with a strong sniffle.

Sheik's hand strayed into her auburn damp hair, bandages gently stroking the side of her face, "It will be okay Wren." He turned his red eyes to the royals, "We need to get her to a bed. I can play The Lullaby for her there. Hopefully that will be soothing enough."

Link nodded, dead lifted Wren off the table, and carried her bridal style up the stairs. Sheik and Zelda followed behind.

They traveled through a wide entrance hall, up a grand set of stairs, down a hallway open to the grand entrance hall below, through a door, down another hallway, and through another door.

 _What a lovely place._

They were in a modest bedroom, a large four poster bed in one corner, a wardrobe in the corner across from it. Two large windows occupied the far wall, a round rug sat close to the bed, another rug in the center of the room. A door positioned on the wall across from the bed led to a private bathroom.

Link gently laid Wren down on top of the comforter and pulled her boots off. Her socks came with them, two sweaty bundles of cloth. He unclasped her cloak and spread it away from her body as best as possible.

Sheik had quietly excused himself in the previous hallway, ducking into his own bedroom, and returned with a small harp.

The instrument was a small curved bow, designed to rest against the players shoulder, supported along their arm and held by the same hand, while the other hand struck its cords. It was made of gold, a gentle feathery design embossed along its arc. A thin bar stretched across the top of it, securing the strings to the base.

He approached the bed and began to strum the instrument.

Three notes in and a feeling of calm washed over Wren. The notes repeated, followed by higher tones, and then a soft descending scale. The pain in her hands was forgotten as she glanced over at Sheik.

His eyes were closed, body totally relaxed, gently swaying with the music. He rested the harp in his left arm and strummed the cords with his right bandaged fingers. The only sign of his previous injury was his blood soaked clothing.

She closed her eyes as well, letting Sheik repeat the gentle, slow song.

Her breathing steadied, her heartrate dropped. She managed to whisper, "Don't leave me alone…" before sleep took over.

Sheik continued to strum, eyes open now, sad smile hidden by his cowl, "I won't."


	12. Chapter 11

Author's Note: I really don't want to slap a warning on my story because it has one or two chapters like this, so I will tell you all here. This chapter contains non consensual sex and power play.

If I write more chapters like this in the future (which I may, I need to figure out how much I want to follow Ganondorf around), I WILL NOT label them unless someone specifically requests it.

As for the people that wish to skip over this chapter, that's cool. It just shows how cruel Ganondorf really can be.

* * *

"Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic."

Ganondorf, atop his raised dark metal throne, stared down at the two men knelling before him. His voice remained cool and collected but with a slight hint of danger. Ganondorf would not raise his voice, he liked to force his inferiors to listen _to_ him, not _at_ him.

Besides, shouting would do no good here.

"I send not one, but two, of my supposedly best men to capture a girl, not a Goddess, and they both return empty handed. The Bokoblins made more progress than you without even knowing who they had captured."

The two men remained knelt, one knee to the floor, arms propped on the other, heads bowed.

Ganondorf sighed, stood from his seat, and lightly descended the five steps to stand directly before his two men. They knelt on black tiled floors; in fact, the entire room was black. The walls and floor were made of a shiny, and smooth, black material. Ganondorf's throne was black, inlaid with black gems and a black padding. High set windows let in a few rays of sunlight that did nothing to brighten the room.

Nothing decorated the room besides the grand throne on the dais. Black metal loops were periodically embedded in the floor, and black chains were randomly placed on the walls. The temperature in this throne room could range from hot to cold depending on Ganondorf's preference.

The Dark Lord bent down to be eye level with the two men, "Nothing to say for yourselves?"

This was not an invitation to speak, and the two knew it. They could try to explain why they didn't nab the Goddess's vessel, but their explanations' would fall on deaf ears. Ghirahim, who had already been beaten as a punishment and sported a large gash hidden under his shirt, felt he had more to lose than the Dark Copy. At least his ashen companion had failed somewhat honorably in battle; Ghirahim let his love for theatrics get the best of him. He should've nabbed the Goddess and fled.

Ganondorf stood straight, and turned his back on his men, "No excuses? No crying or whining? Please, let it out. I'm dying to hear why you failed Dark Link."

Still the all Black Reincarnate remained mute. He stared stoically at the floor, his black boots and pants blending in with the tile.

Ganondorf turned to face his men again, a small hint of displeasure on his face, "I told you to tell me why you failed. I expect an answer."

Finally the Dark Copy spoke, never looking up from the imaginary spot on the floor, "She summoned some sort of a blockade around herself and the Sheik. Arrows couldn't penetrate it. Link turned and attacked me head on, the archers from the town's walls providing him cover. Sheik and the Goddess fled before I could reach them and I was forced to retreat."

"You didn't try to pursue them?"

"The King was…" the Dark Reincarnate stalled, he had almost said that Link was too strong for him.

"The King was too much of a distraction. The Sheik's war horse proved too fast and they were gone before I could get to them. They went straight for the east gate."

"There were Stalfos just beyond that gate. Not anymore I suspect."

Dark Link flinched. He hadn't known about the planted Stalfos, which were probably intended for a surprise attack in the future. He had ruined some part of his Lord's master plan.

Ganondorf sighed and shook his head, "What is done is done. You both failed me. Had I known how pathetic you two would be I wouldn't have had you summoned here. Waste of my time really. Waste of good magic as well."

Ghirahim swallowed, "If I may speak My Lord?"

"You may not."

A small tremor passed through Ghirahim; his punishment for failing himself had been trying, and he didn't want to take another punishment for the failure of his Brother in Arms.

Ganondorf rose back to his throne, and sat, head reclined on his left fist, "What to do now? A punishment for you two is in order. That's for certain, but I don't want to beat you… especially you Ghirahim, your body is already taxed. No, beating will do no good when I will need you in peak physical condition for later."

This did not relieve either of the men. They could endure beatings, other tortures were far more difficult to acclimate to. Red potion can only heal so much.

A wicked smile flashed across Ganondorf's face. He ran his hand through his shoulder length red hair and muttered, "Ah, no, that would be too mean. Far too mean. But it would teach them a lesson…"

He toyed with his lower lip with his thumb for a minute while he considered his thoughts, a smile on his face the entire time. Finally he made a decision, "Let us see if some primal cruelty will get through to you boys."

He clapped his hands twice and a hidden side door opened; it was as though the wall itself had disappeared. A younger woman, she was perhaps twenty one, was led by a Bokoblin through the opening. She had a collar around her neck, a long thin chain attached to it by an O Ring. Ganondorf indicated for the Bokoblin to tether her to a hook embedded in the floor near Ghirahim and Dark Link. Once the girl was secure the pig monster disappeared back into the wall, the door closing behind him.

The girl was beautiful; tan skin, angular features, red hair, and amber eyes. She was completely naked save for the collar and chain and a set of manacles around her wrists and ankles. Her breasts were full, large enough to qualify as more than a "handful" but not grotesquely massive. She had the body of a warrior, lean and slightly muscular; a perfect set of abs decorated her stomach. A barbell ran through each one of her pink nipples; the piecing was recent, her skin was still red around the bar.

She stood before the men, head bowed, he hands resting just above her crotch. She was completely shaven. She remained still, didn't fight or sass. She had already accepted her fate.

"You boys know what a Gerudo is, do you not?"

They were too busy admiring the girl, their eyes raking her body from her broad hips to her chest to her neck and lips, to remember their manners.

"I asked you a question. Don't make me repeat it."

Paired mummers of, "Yes my Lord" and "Of course we do, My Lord" responded.

"Excellent. Then you know that the Gerudo tribe bears one male every three hundred years, give or take a few hundred here and there. You also know that five years ago, shortly before I summoned you two inferiors, I abandoned by tribe. At the tender age of sixteen I struck out on my own."

Ganondorf was stalling, allowing Ghirahim's and Dark Link's pants to become uncomfortably tight. It wouldn't take too long. One was a demon and the other was created out of incredibly dark magic; their primal instincts would quickly go into overdrive. He knew it had been quite some time since either of them sated their lust; unfortunately for them, but quite fortunate for the women of Hyrule, Ganondorf rarely let his men "out to hunt."

He sat on his throne, waiting for the first sign of weakness. After only two minutes he noticed it, a bulge Ghirahim's pants, which were already incredibly tight, betrayed his lust. He remained knelt out of respect for his Master, but Ganondorf knew he would attack this girl the second he was allowed. It would be viscous and far from the gentle caresses of a lover.

What a shame for him.

Ganondorf leaned forward in his seat, his elbows resting on his knees, left hand cupping his chin, "This Gerudo's name is Gavana. I found her roaming around the desert all by her lonesome about three months ago. Such a shame her people forsake me, I would've happily returned her home. Now she is mine to do with what I please. And you boys better believe me, she is an incredible bedmate."

Gavana remained mute. Everything of what Ganondorf had said thus far had been the truth. Her people did exile him shortly after his sixteenth birthday, but his ideas had become radical. They could not afford more ill will between themselves and the castle; the Gerudos were still trying to repair the damage done from five years of refusing to trade with the castle, a decision a young Ganondorf had made shortly before his tribe banished him. This work was made difficult by the fact that the King and Queen wanted to know why exactly the Gerudos severed their ties.

They couldn't be honest with them without betraying themselves; hiding a male Gerudo from the Royal Family, even if it was just a newborn, was against the law. To let a male Gerudo go unchecked for so long, well, that was cause for total banishment. The Gerudo had struggled without the castle's aid for five years, a lifetime would ensure that they died out completely.

"Gavana, darling, please relieve these two men of their pants. Boys, stand up, kick off your boots, but do not touch her. She is mine and mine only."

Dark red crept of Gavana's cheeks and into her hairline. She dared not hesitate and quickly shucked off their pants, starting with Ghirahim and moving to the Dark Copy. Her "training" under Ganondorf had ensured she would act quickly at any order; it only took her two months to totally break.

Their erections bobbed almost comically upon their release. They were left standing, legs slightly spread, in nothing but their shirts.

"Excellent. I see they are already at attention. Gavana, give those two boys some love."

"What kind of love would you like your Whore to give Master Ganondorf?" The line was rehearsed, something she knew she would have to say or face nasty consequences. Ganondorf had told her to never refer to herself as Gavana, or even as Gerudo, but instead as "Whore" or "Slut" or

"Slave."

"Get on your knees like a good little girl and suck them. Play with the other while your mouth is full of his partner's cock. I expect a good performance from my little Whore. Treat them fairly, don't favor one over the other."

Gavana knelt, choosing to face Dark Link. She grabbed the base of his shaft, the manacles rattling, stroked it a few times, and then guided the tip into her mouth. She used her tongue to massage his shaft, bobbed her head up and down, and cupped his balls with her right hand.

Ghirahim had moved closer, Gavana's hand teased its way up his inner thigh and then gripped the head of his shaft. She worked her thumb over the slit, smearing clear pre-cum all over the head.

The two men gasped and moaned with delight. Gavana was extraordinarily talented with both her mouth and her hands. She seamlessly switched between the two men, dividing her time equally, sucking one, and jerking the other.

Ghirahim and Dark Link were close to climax, their breathing hitched in their chests. Neither of them had touched Gavana, but their hands hovered around her in want. Ghirahim wished to force her head to the base of his shaft and hold it there until she gagged, while Dark Link wished to hold her nose, limiting the amount of air she received.

The trio was so caught up in their actions that they failed to notice Ganondorf approaching. He yanked on the chain connecting Gavana to the floor, sending her sprawling onto her back, and stood with a sadistic grin in front of his two men.

Before their erections could wither, Ganondorf snapped his fingers and a cylindrical metal cage appeared around each of their shafts'. It was a simple, but effect piece of metal; the men would remain hard, constant pressure and teasing from the cage ensured that, but would not be able to provide their own relief. The bars of the cages ran from the base of their cocks to the heads, their balls were allowed to hang free. The cages were lined with something soft, perhaps calfskin or some other type of leather, and didn't agitate under the shaft where they latched.

"Hands, behind your backs, now!" The order was abrupt and left no room for argument.

The two men slowly obeyed, only to find their wrists secured with rough rope after another snap of Ganondorf's fingers; the ropes extended past their wrists and to the floor. Ganondorf grabbed the ropes, forcing his two warriors to walk backwards, led to the hook Gavana was attached to, and secured like dogs on leashes.

He unhooked Gavana and yanked her up, ordered the two tied men to follow, and rose to his seat. The men were allowed just enough rope to approach the first step to their Master's dais, where they were ordered to kneel, knees slightly splayed, and their caged members standing at attention.

Ganondorf sat on his throne and ordered Gavana, who had been secured by her chain to his throne, to undo his pants. She obeyed, and released Ganondorf's rather sizeable member to the air.

"I want you boys to watch everything I do to this little Whore tonight. Do not look away, do not close your eyes. I expect your full attention. Understand?"

The two dark warriors, finally fully understanding the extent of their punishment, weakly agreed and set their eyes forward.

Ganondorf was going to cuckhold them. He was going to fuck Gavana and make them watch, completely unable to cum.

"Kneel Slut. Pleasure me with your mouth, I expect nothing less than your best."

Gavana did as she was told, her back to the two prisoners, her rear resting on her chained ankles. Gavana bobbed her head expertly, taking Ganondorf's entire member in one swallow and slowly working her way back up. She rested her hands on his knees and put her entire effort into her mouth; Ganondorf hadn't said she could use her hands.

He grabbed the back of her head and bucked into her lips, roughly forcing his manhood down her throat. He withdrew, bucked again, and again, jackhammering himself off of his seat and into her mouth. Gavana didn't gag or choke, she merely kept as still as possible with Ganondorf's hands tangled into her hair; she had learned very early on that her Master hated the sound of gagging. He had been diligently training her ever since.

Ganondorf withdrew and rudely forced Gavana uprights, forced her onto his lap, and, surprisingly, gently guided his cock into her. He would've loved to pound into her, would've loved to take her roughly, but a punishment like this would have to go slow.

Gavana was positioned to face Ghirahim and Dark Link. Her eyes were closed, an expression of mixed humiliation, torment, and a very subtle hint of relief (Ganondorf had never previously been this gentle with her) across her face.

Ganondorf moved his hands to cup her breasts, his fingers squeezing and pulling on the pierced nipples, and slowly began to thrust in and out of her.

"Put on a show Whore. I think these boys before you deserve some entertainment tonight."

Gavana obeyed, her chained hand working its way down to her sex, where it rested for a moment before she began to work her clit with two fingers in a gentle rotation.

Ghirahim let out an involuntary moan, his cock rubbing the inside of its prison. Dark Link wished to look elsewhere, or maybe retreat into his own head, but the hypnotic bouncing of Gavana's breasts, her hand on her sex, would not allow it. He wanted nothing more than to pull on one of those barbells until it tore loose in a gush of blood. Dark Link grit his teeth, it would do not good to make this more arousing than it already was.

Ganondorf took the girl slowly and in every position possible: from behind, her bent against the edge of the chair, missionary, on the ground in front of the two, standing, Gavana's entire weight held by Ganondorf. He never rushed, and occasionally looked over to his men with a sick smile to ensure they were still paying attention. They were rapt and squirming with discomfort. Their cocks' had bulged to the confines of their cages, the sensitive heads rubbing against the soft interiors. They needed to cum.

He had placed Gavana on her back once again, this time at the bottom of the steps directly in front of his captives, entered her, and gave a few quick thrusts.

"Do you boys know what you have to do for relief? You should by now. It's something love hearing. Think hard, I'm sure it will come" he chuckled at his own joke, "to you."

Ghirahim knew right away what to do to please his master, "Oh Lord Ganondorf, please, please release me so I can cum. Please allow it! I beg of you!" He wasn't above begging if it suited his own needs.

Dark Link grit his teeth, he had acquired some of the Hero's traits in his creation, and pride was one of them. He weighed his options: either be allowed release and end his torture by begging, or remain half naked and pent up for who knew how long.

"Please my Lord, please release me as well. I… I need to cum."

Ganondorf leered at Dark Link. To get him to beg was quite possibly one of the highest points of his day. Such a stoic and quiet being, it was fun to torment him.

"Well, I suppose if you two really need some relief, I can allow it."

He balanced himself on one hand and snapped his fingers. The cock cages began to hum and vibrate, making the two men before him gasp and squirm.

"But you didn't specify when."

Ghirahim was nearly a puddle, "Please My Lord Master, let me cum now! Please!"

"No. I get my release first, then you. I am always first. I control you, not the other way around. I hope after tonight that becomes clear." He rolled his hips with a harsh jerk into Gavana, who gasped. "When I send you out on a mission, I expect"

He thrusted hard,

"You"

He pulled himself away so only the head of his cock was inside Gavana, and then rammed back in again

"To come back"

Three quick jerking thrusts, and then he stopped, buried deep in Gavana to stare at his men directly,

"Successful, is that understood."

Both men nodded their heads.

He picked up the pace again, his thrusts coming quicker and far more sporadic, he managed to pant out, "I can't hear you."

The two men verbally agreed that they understood while Gavana let out an overly loud moan.

"Excellent." He thrust into her several more times, propped up on his elbows and back arched. Finally he pulled out, pumped his manhood twice and ejaculated all over Gavana's chest and stomach.

He allowed himself a quick rest, their heavy breathing and the soft humming of the cages the only sounds, before snapping his fingers again. The cages disappeared, along with the binds, and he allowed the two men to gratify themselves.

"Don't let a drop of that get on the floor. This Whore loves it. Soak her." Ganondorf had already retied his pants and stood over the remaining three, arms crossed, seemingly bored. There was no afterglow, no cuddling, no post coital bliss with him.

They shuffled closer to Gavana and pumped their members'. Ghirahim was first to ejaculate, the stream landing on Gavana's lips and dribbling down her chin to her chest.

Ganondorf smirked, "Don't be wasteful Slut. Lick it up. My Demon Lord has just given you a marvelous gift, don't turn it away."

Gavana quickly set to working her lips and what she could reach of her chin with her tongue.

It was too much for Dark Link, he swallowed and spurted his load, aiming for her nose and mouth. He wanted his scent to be in her nostrils for days. Gavana was quick to lick up his load as well before Ganondorf could reprimand her.

Finally sated the duo stood, leaving Gavana a sticky mess on the floor, and quickly redressed. They stood before Ganondorf waiting further instructions, goofy half grins decorating their faces'.

"You have something to say to me." It wasn't a question.

Ghirahim and Dark Link were totally clueless, thankfully Gavana immediately spoke up, "Thank you Lord Master for fucking me tonight. I am a Whore that always needs a good fucking. You did excellent, and, even though I am a Whore, you thoroughly satisfied me."

Her words sounded genuine, another thing Ganondorf trained into her. He wanted to hear the compliments, but didn't want them to sound sad or rehearsed. She would have been punished had she not sounded honest.

The two warriors understood, and Ghirahim spoke first, "Thank you Lord Master for allowing us to cum tonight. It was truly kind of you."

Dark Link slowly nodded his head, "Yes, thank you Master for giving us permission to cum on your Whore. She is yours; it was too kind for you to allow it."

The Dark Lord smiled and dismissed his men. Only he and Gavana were left, he knelt down, unhooked the chain from her collar, and gently lifted her off the ground.

"A good Whore gets a good reward. Remember that Gavana. Tonight you were excellent, pleasing three men, very honorable. Tonight you sleep in your own chambers. I will allow you privacy and order the servants to do whatever you wish, so long as that's not letting you sneak out of the castle. Don't take advantage of this kindness, remember, it is a reward that I don't have to give."

Gavana wouldn't have been able to escape if she wanted to. Her chambers were locked, the windows unnecessarily bared, (her room was situated in a tower, the ground fifty feet below her window) and the servants would go running to Ganondorf at the first sign of her acting up. They were more scared of him than she was; he would more willingly kill them, she was somewhat valuable as a concubine, at least for now.

Still, a night alone in her chambers, even if they were small, would be a very nice reprieve.

She nuzzled into Ganondorf as he led them away, playing her part to the fullest, "My Lord Master, could I maybe, possibly, get some sweets? Maybe some chocolate, or something sugary. I mean, if my Lord Master would allow it I would be eternally grateful. I don't want to displease my Lord Master with my asking…"

Ganondorf chuckled, "I suppose you deserve a reward. Yes Gavana, I will allow you some chocolate, along with your usual dinner."

"You are too kind my Lord Master."


	13. Chapter 12

Wren's rest was brief; she woke after only half an hour.

To his credit, Sheik had stayed by his side. He was reclining in a simple wooden chair, its front two legs hoovered off the ground, supported by the rear legs, the back set against the wall. He still was strumming his harp, idly this time, his eyes closed, and face serene. His clothes were still bloody, he hadn't even left for a five minute change.

Wren's eyes barely cracked open, her heartrate had slowed and her breathing was regular, but her hands and arm were still hot. It felt like her bones themselves were on fire. There was no way she'd be able to fall back asleep.

The door opened, a grandmotherly looking woman pushed a cart laden with potions, bowls, rags, wraps, and various tools, straight up to the bed. She was alone; now that Wren was here, Zelda and Link had other affairs in the court to attend to. Sheik straightened, the chair landing with a soft thump, his strumming stopped.

He gently set the harp down on the chair and softly addressed Wren, "This is nurse Wythro, she's going to apply some salve and red potion to your burns. Hopefully that will help."

Wren managed a weak nod as nurse Wythro approached the bed with a small bottle of something pale green.

"This shouldn't hurt at all dear. It's a salve that I am going to apply before I put on the red potion soaked bandages. It's an excellent cure for burns and muscle aches. I am going to have to touch your arms though, so forgive me for any discomfort."

She started on Wren's right arm, working the way from her elbow to the tips of her fingers. The salve was cool and smelled of aloe and lavender; it was incredibly soothing. Her skin absorbed it quickly, forcing Wythro to apply more. She delicately lifted Wren's arm, Wren hissed through her teeth when she did this, and applied more salve to the underside and well as the palm of her hand.

The right arm completed, Wythro began working on Wren's left hand. Sheik stood diligent by her side the entire time.

Next came the bandages. These were more difficult for Wythro as she had to wrap them around the arm, over Wren's hand, and through her fingers. The burns had already drunk most of the salve, the cooling effect wearing off. Wren was thankful nurse Wythro worked quickly, the soaked wraps applying relief as more dry wraps were tied over them.

Nurse Wythro stood back, "There, that should do it. I will be in to see you again in four hours to change your wraps and apply more salve. Don't do anything too strenuous until then."

She briefly organized her cart and pushed her way back out the door.

Wren closed her eyes with a sigh, her burns already trying to heal themselves. Nurse Wythro had wrapped each individual finger in bandages, the material forcing her slightly splay her digits. She still had mobility, but it would be awkward and clumsy.

"Sheik?"

"Hmmm?"

"Um, could you, after you change clothes of course, maybe tell me another story? I'm going to be stuck here for a while and I'm not tired."

Sheik's eyes smiled, "Of course. Might as well start your tutelage now." He left, leaving his harp behind.

Wren tried to sit up, awkwardly shimmying on her elbows until she worked herself into a reclined position. She nudged the pillows behind her until they were suitable, and kicked her cloak to the foot of the bed.

She was wiggling her naked toes, absentmindedly watching dust motes float in the mid-morning light streaming through her window, when Sheik returned.

He was simply dressed, his traditional wear Wren had seen him in gone. He wore loose dark blue pants, no shoes, and a simple white buttoned shirt. His cowl remained, the white cloth resting on his shoulders, wrapped around the lower half of his head, but his turban-like hat was gone. Sheik's pleasant wheat blond hair was loose and unruly. It fell messily to the nape of his neck.

He took his previous seat by Wren and asked, "Well, what do you want to hear about?"

Wren thought for a moment, "About the Sky Children. What were they like? Their world in the sky? What happened after they fell? Did they ever go back home?"

Sheik began, using the name rhythmic tone he employed the night before, "As you know the Sky Children were sent skyward so the Goddess could ensure their safety while she scourged the earth of evil. The people built a society called Skyloft on the small amount of earth the Goddess sent skyward, using bridges to transverse over the clouds, farming only what they had to, living off of minimal livestock. In a way, it was a good thing so few people survived the war below; too many people and society would've collapsed.

"They traveled the skies on the backs of massive birds called Loftwings. These birds were so large they could easily support the weight of two riders, and they soared the skies with grace and agility. The birds are long dead, not even their bones remain. Some say, once the Sky Children fell, the birds found another home. That is nonsense, Loftwings were bound to their owners for life, forming an incredibly special and trusting bond with them. They wouldn't have simply flown away.

"Over time, the Goddess, along with her faithful Sheikah, cleared the earth of evil. They sealed away the monsters, assigning a guard to each, and began the final preparations for habitation.

"It was during this time that the Goddess fled. She disappeared, and the texts are vague on how much time passed before she reappeared in her vessel. Some Sheikah texts say she was absent for hundreds of years, while others swear it was only for five years before she was reborn in a Skyloftian child. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly seeing as the Sheikah passed down their history orally, only writing texts as an afterthought, and they always assumed the Goddess was on another part of the planet.

"Either way, she was eventually reincarnated in a Skyloftian girl named Zelda, who was childhood friends with the original Hero, Link."

Wren interrupted, "Has every female heir been named after this Zelda since then?"

Sheik nodded and Wren continued, "So, what about Link? What's to stop average people from naming all their boys 'Link' in the hopes of him being the next hero?"

"They change their name once they meet their Queen. Once they prove themselves worthy of being titled 'Link.'"

"What?! So, no matter how old they are, they are forced to change their name once they meet Zelda? What if you're wrong, what if you name the wrong guy?"

"That has happened, but not often. The Zelda of the era will feel an incredible bond with the man to be titled as Link. It's almost like an instinct, as though a Goddess is talking to her. Occasionally the wrong man has been titled, but, thankfully, that has never happened in a time of conflict."

"And what if a Zelda doesn't want to marry a Link? What if there's not attraction there?"

Sheik cocked an eyebrow, "Who said anything about marriage? A Zelda and a Link a free to marry whomever they chose. There have been Links that have married common girls and trained as simple soldiers in the Queen's army. There have also been Zeldas that married for the good of the kingdom, or never married at all. Marriage and love have nothing to do with their sacred duty."

"And our current Link? What about him?"

"His name was Rylude before Zelda discovered him. He was a man of the court, a young Earl if I remember correctly, when Zelda was immediately drawn to him. They began courting and the rest is history."

"What if Zelda never finds her Link?"

"That's happened as well. Not all eras need a Link, but they always need a Zelda. A Link is only titled when a Zelda feels it necessary, or feels as though she has found the right one."

Wren stayed silent and Sheik continued his story, "The reincarnated Goddess, housed in her vessel Zelda, eventually fell to the earth, where the Hero pursued her. The texts are clearer regarding this, she was swept out of the sky when the Loftwing she was riding was caught up in a wind tunnel. She was thrown from the saddle and fell to earth."

"How did she survive that?"

"Remember, she was a Goddess's vessel. Her blow was cushioned by the same power that, ironically, burnt your hands.

"The Hero followed Zelda to the ground, the first of his kind in my generations to see the actual ground. Unfortunately, this is where this story becomes vague; the vast majority of the Hero's and the Goddess's firsthand accounts were lost in the last Great War. The books, written either by one of the pair or by a contemporary scholar relying on firsthand accounts, were either burned or seized by Ganondorf's dark forces. The few we do have are not the direct accounts, and were only saved when the castle's librarian grabbed them off the shelf in haste when he was fleeing. It's sad really, along with other valuable information we lost the Original Goddess's name in those texts. So much time had passed that no one spoke her name; it's gone to the ages and the flames.

"What we do know is minimal. The duo eventually met one Sheikah on the ground, the original Impa. They travelled great distances in order to unlock the Goddess inside Zelda, and conquered many horrors along the way."

Wren started, "Ghirahim! Oh, I'm so stupid. Ghirahim said something about the Goddess having good taste in her vessels. He spoke like he had experience. He was around with the original Hero!"

Sheik's eyebrows threatened to vanish in his hairline, "Of course… that would explain his ability to freeze an entire room so quickly. He's ancient, probably far more powerful than he let on. I will have to find whatever remaining texts I can on it later, of course, but I'm willing to bet you are right."

"He called himself 'Demon Lord' if that helps."

"It does, he may be referenced in later texts under that title. I will have to alert Zelda as soon as possible, but, now, story.

"Along his journey, the Hero was gifted with all three pieces of the Triforce. He was the first person to ever wield such power. He was also gifted with The Master Sword, the sword Link carries to this day. At the time, it was supposedly infused with an ancient spirit meant to guide the Hero, but that could also be a rumor. In any case, the Master Sword no longer holds a spirit, but it still remains the true sword of the Hero. It has been blessed by the Original Goddess, it will never dull or break. It has been lost to time, only to be found again and hidden away after the Hero was finished with his task. With it, the Heroes through time have slayed numerous beasts and evils. It has never failed.

"Eventually, the Hero had to face the Dark Lord himself, a demonic creature from another world. This man, if you could call him that, was the source of all evil, and he had to be destroyed. Link faced his foe and conquered him. This was when the Dark Lord cursed the Heroes and the Goddess through the generations.

"All evil banished from the earth, more and more Sky Children began to fall. At first only one or two came, then a few more, and more after that. Eventually, Skyloft was abandoned and the people began to build their society on the ground."

"What about the Goddess? Or her vessel?"

"The Goddess left her vessel shortly after she decided to stay on the ground. She has been lost through the ages until now."

"So, they repopulated the earth with just the people they had on Skyloft?"

Sheik shook his head, "No, the Goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore, created other tribes. You already know about the Sheikah, which were created by the Original Goddess, but the Trinity created the Gorons and the Zoras. They also created the Gerudo and other peoples and civilizations."

"These people just popped into existence after the Sky Children fell?"

"Pretty much."

"I find that hard to believe."

"You should, I would be disappointed in you if you took it as fact without questioning it, it sounds so farfetched. However, I unfortunately do not have an answer for you as what I stated is fact. Villages sprang up overnight, the people living there as though they had always been there, no memory of anything else. A small group of theologians argue that the Goddesses rebuilt the earth as it was before the Dark War, but there have been more arguments against that. For example, the structures of various buildings changed over time; the villages were all modern, at least by the standards of the time. Would they not have been buildings made using the old styles had the Goddesses rebuilt them as they had been?

"Personally, I think the Trinity wanted to create an ideal land. They created fully functioning villages overnight in order for the Skyloftians to regain some sort of normalcy."

Wren didn't want to argue. She felt as though the conversation was slowly turning religious, something she didn't want to discuss with Sheik lest she inadvertently offend him.

 _Arguing religion is dumb anyway._

The two sat in silence for a short while enjoying the warm rays of light streaming through the window.

"Sheik."

"Hmmm?"

"I'm hungry."

Sheik looked at her and gave a soft warm chuckle, "Of course, you would be, how long has it been since you ate? Can you stand? We can go to the kitchen, or maybe lunch is ready. We usually dine in the Small Dining Room, unless of course we are hosting a dinner or a ball, then we eat in the Large Dining Hall."

Wren awkwardly shuffled off the bed, her feet touched the ground and she stood. She didn't sway or stumble, her arms hung limply by her side.

"Um, I just realized something else… I stink, and these clothes are filthy. I need to take a bath before I go anywhere. Can I get these wraps wet?"

"Of course you can. The question is, can you manage to bath and dress yourself without me having to call a chambermaid?"

Wren blushed, the question was honest, but still. Sha'Lyn had bathed her and that had injured her pride enough, "No. I mean, yes. I am fine. I will manage, it just might take me longer."

She cocked her head towards the door near her bed, "That's a bathroom right? Everything I need will be in there? Clothes are in the wardrobe I can assume?"

Sheik nodded his head and Wren went on, "Tell you what. I'm going to go clean myself up, and put on some fresh clothes. You wait outside my bedroom door, or in your room, I don't care, and I will come find you."

They departed, Wren to the bathroom and Sheik to his chambers.

* * *

Some time later Wren had washed, dried, dressed and met Sheik in his chambers. She had struggled a bit in the bath, the nobs and soap bottles proved somewhat difficult to use with her bandaged hands, and, after some rummaging in the wardrobe, she managed to find clothes without buttons or ties. Her bra had taken her five minutes alone, so she was thankful that she managed to find a simple blue, flowy pullover top and comfortable black pants that hugged her waist. She managed to find a pair of simple slip on flats, slightly too small, but nothing too troublesome.

The two descended the Grand Staircase into the main entrance and Sheik guided them through a grand open archway, directly into the Large Dining Hall. It was unoccupied, several dozen round tables fitted with delicate white table clothes, dotted the room. All cutlery was absent, every chair pushed in. Burgundy carpet was set wall to lovely white wall. Windows that stretched to the ceiling, showing a pleasant view of the gardens outside, were set equally; it looked as though these could be swung outward to allow for an open air dining experience. A handful of paintings decorated the walls, but it seemed that the designer wanted the room to remain somewhat simplistic; no other art pieces, or massive display pieces, were shown. A long rectangular table sat at the head of the room, obviously meant for the royal family and honored guests.

Sheik weaved through the tables, Wren following in his wake, until he came to another, far less conspicuous, archway set behind the main table. The floor changed from carpet to polished rosewood, and only a few small tables were present. They weren't set with cloth, their dark wood sanded smooth, but they were set with plates, silverware and cups. The small dining room was much homier; the windows were smaller and, if desired, could be slid open. The walls were stone, and an unlit hearth was set in a corner. Various plants set in the window sills and not a single painting adorned the walls. Instead a wide variety of knickknacks decorated the walls and shelves.

Three people were already sat at one of the larger tables; Link and Zelda were chatting with a man in a long black robe. He had stark white hair that ruffled around his ears, and wore common black pants and a red shirt under his robe. His polished black boots sat just below his knees; several large silver buckles ran along the outside of them and the heels were very slightly raised. He wore a fine silver chain with a dark red pendant on the end of it around his neck.

The man's ears were long, thin, and pointed. Whereas Zelda, Link, and Sheik's ears were tipped in a graceful point, this man's ears extended horizontally off of his head. The tips hovered above his shoulders and his delicate lobes were pierced with small red hoops.

The man was in the middle of a sentence when Sheik and Wren approached the table, "…I don't know how they would've gotten there."

Link ran his hand through his hair as Sheik and Wren took their seats, Wren between the stranger and Sheik, "They would've had to have been planted, but when? The grounds were cleared after the last conflict, so it would've had to have been after that."

Zelda shook her head, "That doesn't make sense. No evil forces have been anywhere near this castle for hundreds of years. Maybe we missed them?"

The stranger again, "That's unlikely. Spells, and incredibly strong ones by the sounds of it, were used to drive all evil out of this area. Magic was also used to create a barrier around the property while Castle Town was being rebuilt."

Sheik spoke, "What if the Stalfos were planted? What if, sometime between the last great war and now, some unscrupulous person placed them there for later use?"

The other man considered this, "That is possible…"

Link interrupted, "How would they have gotten two Stalfos in undetected though?"

Sheik sighed, "Any number of ways. They could've marched directly through the gates if the guards knew them, or tunneled in through the sewers. All you need is the bones and a way to subdue them until the time is right."

"Who would do that though? I know all of my knights and guards personally. Not a single one of them would do something like that."

The silver haired man shook his head, the tip of his right ear almost grazing Wren. "People can be incredibly deceptive and manipulative when they feel they are working for a greater good."

Zelda spoke again, "But why would they have remained dormant for so long? The east gate is the main entrance to the stables. Numerous carts would've rolled right over them without interruption."

"Perhaps there was some sort of magic seal that was only erased once Wren was around." The silver haired man faced Wren directly as he said this. Wren held back a gasp, the man's eyes were like nothing she had ever seen. The pupils were black slits, much like a cat's, and the iris was a strange foggy gray that swirled around the pupils. The irises were barely discernable from the whites of his eyes, the movement the only give away that color was there at all.

A beat of silence saturated the room; Wren was too hypnotized by the waving and swirling of the man's irises to speak. The man was handsome as well, youthful and well dressed. Wren vaguely noticed that fine silver and gold threads ran through his heavy robe, their patterns spiraling here and there. His hair looked soft well kept.

The man held out his hand, thought better of it, and withdrew it back to his side, "I am Fyn, Chief Warlock and Potion Master of this castle. I would like to apologize for not having any purple potion prepared. We rarely use it and I didn't realize we were out."

Wren tore her eyes away from his and gave him a slight nod, "It's okay…"

"Zelda, Link and I think we figured out why your hands burnt so bad after you cast the Nayru's Love."

"And why is that?"

"Because you were in a panicked state. You summoned a spell without properly learning it, without even knowing you would, and your body isn't ready for such magic. Not yet. The spell left its mark on the way out of you in the form of a burn."

Wren looked towards Zelda and Link, she wanted to ask Fyn why she hadn't healed herself yet but didn't know if he knew about that ability.

Fyn smiled, "I bet you're wondering why your body hasn't' healed itself."

It was like he had read her mind.

 _Maybe he did._

 _That's concerning._

"It's likely because of the extent of this injury. It's not something as simple as a stab wound or a damaged ankle, or even being frozen. No. The magic that brought on this injury is powerful; it's not going to instantly heal. On top of that, your body would've been taxed from healing itself prior to today. Give it some time, I'm thinking another day at the most, and you will be good as new."

 _They told him everything._

 _At least you know where he stands in their inner circle._

Wren couldn't manage a reply, thankfully Zelda came to her rescue, "Fyn has been our Chief Mage and Potion Master for five years. He showed remarkable talent as an apprentice to our old Mage, and once he died it was common sense to promote Fyn. He was the youngest in castle history to be promoted at only twenty years old."

"Most Mages are well into their forties by the time they are hired. I think Mage Phyma was around eighty when I first arrived here."

 _God this man's eyes are hypnotizing._

 _Don't get sucked in._

"Who's hungry?"

Henrietta entered the room with a cart loaded with food. Plates were set before Wren, Zelda, Fyn, and Link; Wren glanced at Sheik, eyebrow slightly raised, he only subtly shook his head.

Each plate held some variation of chicken breast. Zelda's had been grilled and tossed onto a bed of greens with walnuts and a light oil dressing. Link's had been grilled as well, and was placed between a very hearty bun, some sort of sauce seeping out between the chicken and the bread. Links greens were the side along with a heaping spoonful of stewed apples. Fyn's meal was similar to Zelda's without the walnuts and added grated cheese. He also had a side of apples, though not nearly as large as Link's.

Wren eyed her plate. Her chicken breast had also been grilled, but the cook had been kind enough to cut it into bite sized chunks she could easily pick up with her fingers. Two dipping sauces, one a creamy white, the other dark red, had been set in little ramekins on the plate. Her fruit was served raw along with her vegetables. Small carrot spears were mixed with broccoli florets and tomatoes. Apple and pear slices were piled on her plate as well.

"Thank you Henrietta, it looks wonderful, as always."

"Yeah, a cucco sandwich is going to hit the spot! Thank you!"

Wren puzzled, "Cucco?"

Fyn motioned to his plate, "The primary protein of our meal. Typical farm animals breed for their eggs and meat."

"Oh, I thought it was chicken…"

Link spoke, his mouth half full of sandwich, "What's chicken?"

"It's… you know what, never mind what it is. It doesn't matter and I'm hungry. Thank you for cutting everything into small chunks for me. I don't think I can manage silverware just yet."

Henrietta beamed and bowed her way out of the room, "Not a problem dear, not a problem at all. If you need anything else, you know who to call."

Wren grabbed a bit of chicken; her fingers were still stiff but the pain was gone. She dipped it first in the white sauce; it was a glorious mixture of cream, butter, spices, with a mix of heat and sweet. She dipped her second nugget in the red sauce; this one was hotter, but there was also a hint of something sweet. Honey maybe.

They ate in silence, Sheik waiting patiently until they were finished.

Zelda put down her fork and gently leaned away from the table, "We need to figure out your training schedule Wren."

Wren swallowed her last slice of pear and waited. She knew this was coming, she would have to hone her skills somehow.

Zelda continued, "I will train you in the art of magic. Make it so you hopefully don't scald your arms every time you cast Nayru's Love. I can also teach you how to cast Din's Fire and maybe even Farore's Wind. All these spells are associated with the Triforce and should, hopefully, come easy to you. We will also work on your healing skills, perhaps you will eventually be able to heal others."

She nodded towards Link, "Link will be teaching you sword play as well as other weapons. We need to get you fitted for weapons and armor sometime soon. Maybe tomorrow, you don't need your hands to be fitted for armor. Finding a weapon will be more difficult. You won't be able to wield a large sword, not with your height, so a smaller one will have to be tailor made.

"And Sheik will teach you the art of the Sheikah. Stealth, trickery, throwing needles or knives, and perhaps chain play. The training you do with him will probably be the most difficult; Sheiks begin their training at a very young age, and it can be difficult for a newcomer to catch on.

"I don't know how we will divide our days. I have to attend Court and other meetings. Link has to train with his men, and Sheik needs to ensure that the guards remain vigilant. We may end up dividing the days between two people, the third taking half of the next day. That's going to depend on how quickly you catch on though."

Zelda added, almost as an afterthought, "Plus we need to get some clothes tailored for you. We have spare sets of course, but it would be nice for you to have your own clothing."

Link interjected, "We need to find a horse for her sometime too. I bet Malon would have a younger stallion ready, or we could see if we could find her a horse from our personal collection."

Sheik shook his head, "I'd rather Wren find a younger horse, all the ones in our stables are older. They will form a better bond if the horse is young."

"So we need to contact Malon as soon as possible."

"Um, if you don't mind, since it seems like you've already planned things out pretty well, can I ask for something?"

The group paused, waiting for Wren to continue, "Well, I'd like to learn about this place if that's at all possible. I don't want to just be a warrior, I want to know everything I can about the history of this world."

Zelda nodded in agreement, "Of course, we can set up a tutor for you. Anything else special?" Her tone wasn't condescending but instead genuinely curious and accommodating.

 _Ask to learn how to play an instrument._

 _Why?_

 _Just ask._

"And I guess I'd also like to learn how to play an instrument."

Zelda's features betrayed her shock for a brief moment before she recomposed herself, "Which one?"

 _Yeah, which one?_

 _Any one, ask to sample a few, you will know when one feels right._

 _That sounds stupid._

 _Just do it._

"Um, well, I don't really know. Maybe I could try a few before I decided."

Zelda scrunched her nose and eyebrows in puzzlement, "Well, I guess we can do that."

Fyn cleared his throat and spoke, "I think we are all forgetting something. The third piece of the Triforce, Din's piece, is still missing. We need to find it before Ganondorf gets his hands on it. I think it would be wise to send either Link or Sheik instead of scouts; if we have even the chance of traitor among us, it would be catastrophic for them to get the Triforce before you do."

Zelda smiled and stood from her seat, "Oh, I don't think finding it will be a problem. I have a Gerudo ambassador to meet with shortly. If they didn't tell us about harboring Ganondorf for so many years, I wonder what else they haven't told us. Din did favor the Gerudo women, so it would make sense for her to hide her bit of the Triforce there."

Link snorted, "They haven't wanted to trade with us for five years, poor girl is probably coming to try to negotiate a trade agreement." He smirked, "Instead she's going to get interrogated by her Queen. It's perfect."

"I hesitate to re-open trade with them, especially after recent events. It's going to be interesting to see what this woman has to say."

"I wouldn't re-open trade. They made their own choices, let them live with the consequences. But, that's up to you Zelda."

Fyn interrupted, "I wouldn't burn those bridges just yet, who is to say they are on Ganondorf's side?"

Sheik scoffed, "And who's to say they didn't harbor him for a reason? Didn't raise him to fight the crown?"

Fyn considered Sheik, "That's a valid point as well." His words weren't sarcastic, he wasn't looking to argue.

Zelda had worked her way around the table and now stood in the archway, "Let's just see what she has to say first. I will have to meet with my advisors before making a final decision on re-opening trade. I need to go get ready to meet our guest."

She glanced at Link, "The Gerudo may have to stay for the evening, which means we will have a supper guest. I expect everyone to be on their best behavior." And she was off.

Link laughed good naturedly and called after her, "Yes, mom!"

Fyn also stood and politely excused himself. He had potions to brew and ingredients to gather.

Sheik glanced at the clock on the wall, "We need to get back to your room Wren. Wythro will be back to change your wraps shortly."

Wren followed him out of the room, Link exited into the kitchen.

They were halfway through the Grand Dinning Hall when Wren asked, "Why do you hate the Gerudo so much?"

"Tensions have always been high between royalty and the Gerudo. They have always been outliers, rarely helping the crown in any situation. In the last war they harbored Ganondorf and made life incredibly difficult for the Hero."

"They harbored Ganondorf? Why though? I mean it doesn't make sense if he's bent on destroying everything."

They were in the entrance hall now, "They harbored him because Ganondorf is a Gerudo. A Gerudo male is only born once every several decades, and every single reincarnation of the Dark Lord has been a Gerudo."

"So every male Gerudo born turns out to be a reincarnation?"

"No. That's why we like to monitor the situation. There have been more cases of Gerudo males born that have not chosen the evil path. But, the fact still remains that Ganondorf, whatever reincarnation he might be, is always a Gerudo."

They were at the base of the Grand Staircase now, "Maybe the Gerudo didn't tell you because they figured he would turn out okay."

"That's against the law. The Gerudo have to tell us every time a male child is born. If he shows signs of evil then we can intervene—"

"Intervene how?"

Sheik sighed, "By taking the child, or young man, away."

"Taking him away from his home, from his mother, and then what?"

Wren couldn't see it, but Sheik had pursed his lips, "Dealing with them as we see fit…"

"So you kill them? No wonder the Gerudo want to keep their distance. You require them to report all male children, only so you can 'monitor the situation,' and sweep them away at any sign of evil."

"It's not that black and white. The Gerudos have always gone out of their way to make life difficult for the castle. Refusing to pay minimal taxes, only trading when it suited them, swindling the people of Castle Town with fake jewelry to make a quick rupee. This is the first time that they've cut off trade since the last Hero walked, and, like last time, they also harbored a man capable of awesome evil."

"So they don't like you because you force them to report on any males born, and you don't like them because they 'make life difficult.' Sounds like there has got to be a better way."

"I'd like to hear it. We can't let male Gerudo's go unchecked, and we can't tolerate them harboring him either. I don't like the castle taking children from their mothers, but when a five year old purposely kills a cat out of the blue, something has to be done."

They entered Wren's room, "It could be that the Gerudo feel as though you are taking advantage of your authority."

"It's true, the Gerudo do not like to be ruled. It's even more difficult with a King on the throne. Zelda at least has some communication with them, her father had a much more difficult time."

Wren sat on her bed, "A tribe of all woman… now why in Hyrule do you think they'd refuse to be governed by a man?"

Sheik chuckled, "I sincerely hope they come around. One of the old Sages was a Gerudo, but that doesn't mean much anymore."

"Sages?"

The corners of Sheik's eyes crinkled, he was smiling, "That is another long story for another time. I need to go get some lunch and see if I can dig up anything on Ghirahim. I forgot to mention him to Zelda with all the other discussions; hopefully I can catch her before she meets with the Gerudo. Wythro will be here shortly and you are more than welcome to explore the castle after she is done."

He departed, leaving Wren alone for the second time since her arrival.


	14. Chapter 13

AN: I told you guys that updates to the story would take awhile, but I didn't expect it to take this long, so thanks for hanging in there and being patient. The first week back as school has been... interesting. It's looking like my job this year is going to be stressful, which is pretty much par for the course.

I'm not going to lie, these next two chapters were nightmares for me to write. I can usually churn out a chapter a night, but chapter 13 alone took me about a week. This trend might continue since all I want to do when I get home is veg out on video games, shut off my brain for a little while, and not write anything.

Then I feel bad for being so lazy, write a chapter in a day, hate it, delete it, and redo it over the course of a week.

I won't let this story die on you though.

* * *

Wren found herself idly wandering the castle's halls after Wythro had changed her bandages. The salve and potion were a welcome relief, and Wren had a bit more mobility in her fingers. Her skin had begun to peel though; it flaked off in large clear pieces when Wythro applied the salve. Her burns had begun to itch as well. An annoying aggravation under the wraps.

Each hallway in the castle was set with thick wine red carpeting; tall windows let in sunlight which gave the stone walls a pleasant glow. Mirrors, paintings, potted plants in ornate vases, tapestries, and settees were all artfully placed.

The castle was huge, it had more staircases than Wren could explore. She meandered past the throne room, the central point of the castle, where Zelda sat talking with the Gerudo ambassador. The royal thrones sat directly on the white tiled floor. They were silver, gold Triforces inlaid on the headpieces, with three gems gracefully arcing over them. Purple cushions padded the seat and the back rest.

Wren followed the hallway past the throne room and found herself in an art gallery. This room was massive. Giant floor to ceiling paintings hung on the walls along with intricate tapestries. The room was lit by candles set in wall sconces and a modest skylight; it was dim at the moment, only a few candles were lit.

 _It's probably to preserve the paintings._

A large mural told the story of all of the Heroes' exploits. A young man, clad entirely in green, fell off the back of a large red bird; a much smaller Hero wearing an odd hat fought a being cloaked in purple and black, an incredibly hansom and stoic Hero faces Ganondorf. There were Zeldas interwoven throughout, never added as a backdrop to the Hero, but as an integral part to his story. A Goron, along with other creatures Wren couldn't name, was painted here and there. The Heroes were shown defeating all dark creatures before meeting, and ultimately defeating, the final evil.

Wren could've gazed at the painting all afternoon, but she forced herself to wander over to a large blue tapestry that hung off of the eastern wall. This showed the genealogy of the royal family. A thin gold strand ran from "Zelda: Goddess Incarnate from the Sky" all the way to the current generation's Zelda. If a marriage occurred, a new name was sewed on in the same gold thread, followed by births and deaths. It was an ongoing project; the Zelda Wren knew sat in the middle, leaving plenty of room for more marriages, births, and deaths.

Other works were framed in the gallery as well. One showed a watercolor of the sea with blue fish-people, another was painted using heavy reds and browns and showed a village set alone in a desert. More than one forest scape was placed, all of these focused on an ancient looking tree with gnarled knots on the trunk that Wren's mind wanted to turn into a face.

The dim light beginning to bother her, Wren left the gallery and worked her way up another grand set of stairs. The landing opened to a massive library lofted over a reading area below. Rows upon rows of books rose to the ceiling, and a fireplace large enough to easily fit two elephants side by side was placed into one of the walls. Chairs, couches, and even a hammock or two were placed here and there; the reading area below accessible by a winding spiral staircase. The room was lit by natural light from large curtained windows as well as a large skylight. Candles encased in their glass cases were attached to the walls where necessary.

Wren's mouth fell open and her mind went into overdrive. She took a few cautious steps forward; it felt like she was walking on consecrated ground.

 _This place is huge!_

 _Where do I start?_

 _Sheikah culture maybe? Start where I left off in Sha'Lyn's city?_

 _Maybe read up on the Gerudo or other tribes?_

 _The Gorons could be fun to learn about._

 _Oh, I'm forgetting about Hyrule history!_

 _No, Sheik's teaching me that._

 _Couldn't hurt to read up on it._

 _What about the Goddess?_

 _Or maybe religious texts on the Trinity?_

 _You're forgetting about the magic._

She found herself staring down a row of shelves, the other end seemed miles away.

 _Do they have all the books in Hyrule here?_

 _Probably._

 _Well, this seems like a good place to start._

Wren had worked her way halfway down the aisle between the two shelves fore she realized it was nothing but reference books. Shelf upon shelf of thick leather bound books with titles like, _Hyrule Plant Life: A to G,_ and _The Old Hylian Dictionary: A to D._

She soon found herself in the adjacent aisle, this one full off books about Hyrule's history.

 _Oh, here we go._

 _Now which one?_

"Can I help you find something?"

Wren nearly jumped out of her skin, the library had been so quiet, she thought she had been alone. She turned her head to see who had spoken, and faced an older portly gentleman.

 _How did I miss him?_

He was tall, over six and a half feet, and barrel chested. His shaved head sat right on his shoulders, white bushy eyebrows sat over pale blue eyes. He wore a pumpkin orange jerkin that fell to his knees, white pants and black shoes underneath. The jerkin was decorated with dark orange thread woven into sharp straight lines and angles.

Wren stammered, "Um, well, I guess I don't really know what I'm looking for."

The man smiled a kind grandfatherly smile that accentuated the apples' of his cheeks, "I gathered that, people don't usually go down the reference section. But, you have a very determined look in your eyes. Tell me, Wren, what are you looking for?"

A slight frown graced Wren's face, just how many people in this castle knew her name before she knew them?

"Ah, that was rude. I didn't allow you to introduce yourself, my apologies; Sheik told me you may find your way up here sometime. I am Master Gaepora, Chief Librarian and Scholar of this castle. I have been with the Royal Family since Queen Zelda was just a babe. I personally tutored her, and later on King Link."

He extended a hand that was somehow pudgy and muscular at the same time, a thick silver band adorned his pointer finger.

Wren shook his hand and turned to face the shelves, "I guess I am looking for something. I just don't really know what yet. I have a lot of topics on my mind, but I don't really know where to start. I want to learn about the history of Hyrule, but I also want to know about the tribes and the Sheikahs."

 _Don't tell him about learning spells, not yet._

"That is why I am here, to help those who want to gain knowledge. Come, follow me."

A short time later Wren found herself hauling five large books to a lounge chair near the unlit fireplace. Gaepora had found her two history books, one comprehensive text on the Sheikah tribes, and two other books covering the various other tribes of Hyrule. He agreed to either hold the books behind his desk until Wren visited the library again, or she was more than welcome to take them and return them at her leisure.

Sheik appeared just as Wren had finished the third chapter of her first book, _The History of Hyrule: A Collection of Firsthand Accounts of Various Peoples Throughout the Land_.

"Come, supper is almost ready, and your wraps will have to be changed before we eat. We have a guest as well. The Gerudo woman decided to stay."

Sheik didn't sound too pleased about that fact.

Wren stood; the itchiness in her arms much more noticeable. Her fingers were also beginning to stiffen again; she clumsily gathered up the books, gave three of them to Gaepora for safe keeping, and held the other two in the crook of her arm.

Thank the Goddesses for Sheik. Without him, Wren would've been wandering around the hallways lost, trying to find her way back to her room. The castle seemed to change in the evening, the art gallery seemed much further away from the library, and she didn't remember ever traversing a hallway as long as the one they were in now.

They returned to her room, Wythro was already waiting, and the nurse skillfully wrapped her burns. More skin had peeled off and clung to the dirty wraps in disgusting pale flakes.

"Hey, look, I'm making jerky!"

Sheik snorted, "What?"

"You know, jerky. Dried stripes of meat. Come on, don't tell me you've never heard of it!"

"We cure and dry our meat, but it's not called 'jerky.'"

"What's it called then? I don't want another cucco incident."

Sheik shrugged, "We simply call it dried meat. Sometimes a market will sell it as 'dried beef or 'dried hog's shoulder' to make it more specific."

"Well that's highly unoriginal. I guess I'm making 'Wren's Special Burned Skin Bites' then. We should market it."

Sheik allowed himself a small chuckle, "I don't think people would buy it. Or, maybe they would. I don't know which is worse."

"Oh come on now. What's so wrong with people eating the dead skin I shed?"

Sheik shook his head, it was hard to tell if he took Wren's last comment seriously.

"You know that was sarcasm right?"

Sheik's eyebrows rose into his dark blond hair, "Of course I do. I'm not some sort of humorless idiot."

"Good, because, in case you haven't figured this out yet, I am fluent in sarcasm."

* * *

Sheik escorted Wren to the Small Dining Room, stopping just outside of the entrance to the Grand Dining Hall.

He looked Wren directly in the eyes, causing immediate feelings of apprehension and intimidation to wash over her, "Wren, listen. I want you to stay as close to me as possible during dinner tonight. I don't like the idea of a Gerudo eating with us, especially with what will eventually come to pass. We do not know if she was sent her as an ambassador for her people, or as a spy for her Demon King. I will sit between you and her, and one of the Royal Advisors will sit on your right."

Wren remained captured in Sheiks' red gaze, and he continued, "Do not talk to her, do not argue with her, do not ask her a million questions. As far as she knows, you are just a guest. She doesn't know your history, and Zelda has not made up a story."

Normally Wren would've argued, would've asked why she couldn't talk to her, but the seriousness in Sheik's gaze and tone caused her to dumbly nod her head.

 _How's he doing that?_

"What if she talks to me and asks me where I am from?"

"I will speak on your behalf. The Gerudo won't really care for that, she may try to pick an argument, but so be it."

Wren finally snapped out of Sheik's spell, "So, I have to remain mute for dinner?"

Sheik blinked, "Yes, but please understand, it is for your own safety. Some of the things you say, the way you talk, gives you away as a foreigner. Ganondorf knows you are at the castle, that much is for certain, but what we don't know if he is sending in spies. Zelda seems to think the Gerudo is here as an ambassador to her people, but I always have to stay on my toes."

Wren nodded and they entered the Large Dining Hall, weaved through the tables, and soon found themselves in the cozy Small Dining Room.

Two new people sat at the table with Link and Zelda. One was an older man with waist length brown hair and sharp features. He looked a bit like a falcon with his sharp, almost pointed, nose and deep golden brown eyes. He wore plain clothes and no jewelry, and a calm, almost bemused, expression on his face.

The other was a stark contrast to the man, and could only have been the Gerudo. She wore sheer harem pants, a wrap around her waist covering her upper legs and privates. The red silken fabric of her pants was see through over her tan legs, and tapered around her ankles. She wore very simple flats, lightweight and slipper like. Her top was made of slightly heavier fabric with sheer cutouts decorating her arms and midriff. Her hair was an orange-red and placed in an incredibly high ponytail on the back of her head; the tip of her hair tickled the center of her back. She wore jewels on her fingers and several bracelets on each wrist. Her eyes were more gold than brown and seemed to catch every small bit of sunshine coming through the windows.

As promised, Sheik sat himself next to the Gerudo, forcing Wren to take a seat on his right, the other man sitting on her right.

The woman pursed her lips when Sheik sat, the only acknowledgement that him and Wren had arrived. She remained looking at Zelda, who stared pointedly back at her.

A thick air of awkwardness and uncomfortableness permeated the room. Zelda had a frown fixed on her face, the Gerudo remained neutral, but Wren could tell she had just dropped some sort of bomb on the Queen. Link sat perfectly erect in his chair, treating the wooden chair almost like his throne; his face remained stern. Sheik, naturally, remained incredibly high strung, ready to grab Wren and flee at any minute. The only person seeming to enjoy himself, at least to a small degree, was the man on Wren's right.

He was the first one to break the spell, "My Queen, if it would please you, would you introduce us to our two most recent diner guests. You and the King already know them, but I and Datura have yet to meet them."

Zelda blinked, tore her eyes away from the Gerudo, and stared pointedly at the man. She seemed to be biting back an argument, holding her words for another time perhaps.

"Of course. Datura, you and Sheik have already met. The young lady sitting to the right of him is Wren. Wren, this is the Gerudo Ambassador, Datura, and the man on your right is my Chief Advisor, Sir Horwell."

Datura's expression turned curious while Horwell raised a hand in greeting.

Datura asked, "What happened to your hands?"

 _Well, that was abrupt._

Before Wren could even respond, Sheik spoke for her, "She burned herself."

Datura glared at Sheik, "I asked her, not you. A man doesn't always need to speak for a woman. In fact, a man never needs to answer for a woman, especially when she is perfectly capable of speaking for herself."

She faced Wren again, "Now, _you_ tell me. How did you burn yourself?"

 _Lie!_

"I um, well, it's tricky. I don't really remember how, I guess. It's strange, I don't really remember much before waking up in the castle."

 _Good._

Datura smirked, "You really remember nothing of your life before the castle? I find that difficult to believe."

Wren shrugged her shoulders, "To be honest, it's incredibly frustrating. I'd really like to know where I came from and how I got here."

 _There you go, tell half-truths._

Datura's smirk widened into a sly grin, "You're a bad liar Wren."

"Excuse me?"

She scoffed, "I said, you're a bad liar. I know that you, as well as everyone present, know that you are the one Ganondorf is looking for. I also know that he was the one that transported you here, and you have been lucky so far to evade him."

The group's reaction to Datura's words was visible. Sheik grabbed Wren just above her left wrist, ready to spring from the table at any moment. Horwell's bemused grin was now replaced with an expression of seriousness. Link hissed through his teeth and clutched at something on his belt, while Zelda drew herself up into an intimidating Queenly pose. Even seated, she seemed to grow taller and more mature.

A heavy silence fell over the table for several moments before Zelda finally spoke, "Tell me Datura, how do you know that?"

Datura remained calm, almost as though she was playing some sort of game, "It would be my pleasure. After all, this is a friendly meeting," she glanced at Link, Sheik and Horwell, "is it not?

"We banished Ganondorf five years ago, shortly after he turned sixteen, for his radical new ideas."

Link interrupted, "Like cutting off all trade with the castle."

Datura glanced at Link and continued on, "That was one of the ideas yes. Not an idea most of the Gerudo women were pleased with, but… Ganondorf can be very persuasive."

Wren pursed her lips, "How so?"

It was Datura's turn to pucker her lips. She hesitated, planning out her next sentence before she spoke, "If Ganondorf didn't get his way, if we refused to accommodate him, he would become volatile. He harmed several of my strongest girls when the Tribunal refused to grant him power over us. That's why I am so concerned about our missing scout."

Sheik faced Zelda, "Missing scout?"

Zelda nodded, "One of Datura's top scouts went missing about three months ago. Shortly before you arrived she informed me of this occurrence. You have to admit, Gerudo's don't just go missing. "

"And Gavana wasn't one to just wander off on a whim. For her to not return was cause for alarm. We fear that Ganondorf may have her, which is incredibly concerning as Gavana was one of the more vocal opponents of Ganondorf."

Horwell gently interjected, "I believe Datura was telling us how she knew about Wren."

"Yes, let me go on. One of Ganondorf's beliefs was that the old Goddess, the original, was hidden somewhere in the recesses of time. He felt that if he could find her, he could use her powers for his gain."

Datura glanced at Wren, "It seems as though he found her, he just hasn't caught her. Not yet."

 _"Not yet."_ Wren swallowed.

Zelda's face stayed stony and Link's expression turned sour. Sheik stiffened even more next to Wren.

When Link spoke, his tone was curt, "Datura. Your people knew that Ganondorf was searching for the Goddess. You, and your people, harbored a criminal. You didn't report the birth of a male Gerudo, and you allowed him to live long enough to create, and act out, his own plans."

Zelda added, "Because of the actions of your people, Wren was forced out of her own time into ours. She could've been captured, used, and killed."

Datura had the good graces to look down at her hands, "We didn't know the boy we were raising would grow into the next Ganondorf. We thought we could raise him, we called him Narif at the time, properly. We never thought he would turn out so cold and evil. He titled himself 'Ganondorf' out of the blue. Narif was only thirteen when he did that, and shortly after that he started using his cruelty to gain control. It was too late."

Zelda remained cold, "It's against Royal Law for the Gerudo to not report a son. Your tribe agreed to that after the last Great War. You should've reported him the second he was born so we could monitor the situation and intervene if necessary."

"Forgive me Zelda for refusing to call a son a 'situation.' He was a baby, our baby. A total innocent-"

"Clearly, he wasn't."

Datura continued on as though she hadn't been interrupted, "And clearly we aren't going to report an innocent baby so the Royal Family can sweep in and take him away. You would've killed him."

For the first time, Horwell's voice was stern, "If I remember correctly Datura, you are here as a guest and an ambassador. Our Queen and King didn't have to see you, but instead wanted to give you a chance. Your people broke the law, that is a fact, but not what this meeting was supposed to be about."

He faced Zelda and Link, "Remember, we are discussing reopening trade with the Gerudo."

The food had arrived, again all the fish entrees were tailored to each person.

Zelda nodded and changed the subject to reopening trade, a much more boring conversation that Wren promptly tuned out.

After the plates had been cleared away, and a refreshing fruit and cream dessert devoured, a trade agreement was reestablished. The Gerudo would reopen trade with Castle Town, which would give the tribe more income and stability. They remained on probation with the Castle however; Zelda only agreed to reopen trade after Datura swore allegiance to the Crown. One slip up, and it would be Zelda's turn to sever trade with the Gerudo.

Datura begrudgingly agreed to allow Zelda to send guards to the Gerudo outpost whenever she saw fit, and in return Zelda agreed to protect any Gerudo from any biases in Castle Town. The women would be granted fair trade opportunities in the city.

The meeting adjourned and the group divided. Zelda and Link retreated to their quarters, Datura followed Sheik and Wren until she arrived at the set of stairs leading to her suite, and Sheik guided Wren to her bedroom.

"It's still early in the evening… I'm not tired. Could you maybe tell me about the last Great War? I got a book on it from the library, but I'd like to actually hear about it."

Sheik gestured for Wren to sit on her bed as he took his seat on his chair.

"Before I start you have to understand, the Great War, or the War of Time, changed things permanently. Security was heightened around Castle Town, tensions with the Gerudos ran incredibly high, and an overall air of sorrow was felt for many years after the Hero of Time defeated Ganondorf. The entire city had to be rebuilt; lives were shattered, and several people lost their lives.

"Even though the Great War is no longer discussed, except maybe in history lessons, we still feel its effects today. Archers are always placed in the turrets, as well as on the wall, around the city. The gates are closed at night, no one goes in or out, and every merchant that leaves the city checks by a gate guard before departing. Prior to the War of Time, no such measures were in place; people came and went as they pleased and security was incredibly lax."

Wren stayed silent, so Sheik continued on. He told a story of a young Hero and Princess, only children when they first met, but destined for greatness. The young Hero was put into a magical sleep for seven years, awaking as a young man in the Sacred Realm.

"It was a tragic and desperate situation. The young Princess was forced to flee with Impa and the Hero woke, seven years later, a child stuck in a man's body. He was expected to fight this great evil that he only briefly encountered as a child. He woke to hell, the entire city had been reduced to ruin, the survivors fled to Kakariko. Redeads roamed Castle Town's market."

Sheik told of the Hero's adventures up the mountains and into the ocean. He touched on Zelda's training as a Sheikah, her disguise and strength.

"What about the Sheikah guardian of that time? Where was he?"

" _She_ was the one training the Princess. Impa was the only Sheikah in the castle at the time. It was only after the Great War that the Royal Family decided to up the Sheikah security in the palace."

Sheik described all of the sages, from the Zora Ruto to the bewitched Nabooru, as well as the sacred stones and the three spells the Hero learned. Link had the aid of a fairy named Navi, a small fearless little thing that was a veritable encyclopedia on anything and everything in the world.

The Hero sealed Ganondorf away in the Dark Realm, Din's piece of the Triforce was hidden, and Zelda had a choice to make.

"By this point, the Hero was no longer a child stuck in an adult's body. He had matured mentally, and could've stayed in that time as an adult. But, he would've also been robbed of his childhood; he wouldn't have had a chance to grow up naturally. Zelda had the ability to send him back in time, the timeline had been fixed and Link would be allowed a childhood. Ganondorf was sealed in the Dark Realm, that could not, would not, be undone no matter the time.

"And yet, she hesitated."

"She loved him. She didn't want to send him back and possibly lose him."

"Exactly."

"So, what'd she do?"

"The only fair thing. She gave him the choice, and he chose to remain in the current time. He sacrificed his childhood to be with Zelda."

"What would've happened if he was sent back?"

Sheik shrugged, "Who really can say? The pair may have met again as children, or Link may have found other adventures. Ganondorf would've remained sealed in the Dark Realm, so the war would not have taken place."

"Wait. He would've stayed there even if Zelda turned back time? There wouldn't have been a war?"

Sheik nodded and Wren continued on, "Did they know that before Link decided to stay?"

Another shrug, "It's hard to say. Time is tricky, and not something to be taken lightly. Ganondorf would've been sealed away, but what other evil would've taken his place? Our security wouldn't be so tight today, but is high security really a bad thing? The curse from the original version of Ganondorf would still hold, and who is to say that he wouldn't reappear in that timeline after the children had grown up?"

"But all those people would've lived."

"We can never say what would have happened to them had Zelda turned back the clock. A fire might have taken out Castle Town, or maybe some sort of deadly disease. We can't say what could have happened, only what did happen. Yes, there were casualties in the Great War, but they could have just as easily died some other way in another time."

Wren closed her eyes and reclined against a pillow, "I don't agree with that. They died for sure in the War of Time, and only may have died should Link have been sent back."

She quickly changed the subject to prevent an argument, "Time _is_ tricky. Can Zelda still do that? Go back and forth in time?"

Sheik shook his head, "No. The only reason the Zelda at the time had been able to do that was because the Sages, as well as the Goddess Nayru, had allowed it. She wasn't able to do it again after Link decided to stay."

"That's good. I don't think people should be able to do that. I mean, we can wish to go back in time all we want, but it would get so messy should we be able to do so."

Sheik smiled a hidden smile and stood. It was late, his story taking far longer than he intended, and he still had to eat supper. Wren was about to fall asleep in her day clothes, and he still had to patrol the castle.

Wren was sitting up on the bed now, "Hey Sheik. I'm willing to bet my hands will be healed by tomorrow; could we go on a tour of Castle Town? I would like to get a feel for the place before too long, and I'm really bad at directions, so the sooner I start to navigate the city, the better."

"I will have to talk with Link and Zelda first. They might prefer you stay in the castle until Zelda can announce your arrival. But, yes, if they agree I think a tour of the city would be in order."


	15. Chapter 14

It was late, closing in on midnight, before Sheik made his way to his chambers. He had spent the last couple of hours researching Ghirahim, prowling the castle's corridors, and managing to steal away a quick supper. Datura had remained in her quarters, something which Sheik wasn't about to argue over, and everything else around the castle was normal.

His research on Ghirahim wasn't a total waste of time, but it wasn't nearly as fruitful as Sheik had hoped. Books were like old friends to Sheik, and for them to fail him, or possibly him to fail the texts, was a bit of a blow. The research stated what they already knew: he was an old demon, around when the original Goddess first took her vessel, and at the time, he was the right hand man to Demise.

But, the books did give a few small tidbits on Ghirahim Sheik didn't know. Ghirahim had the ability to turn his arms into steel, a trick he hadn't revealed earlier. The books went on to state that he also had the ability to turn into a monstrous sword that could only be wielded by his true master. According to this ancient tome, one which Sheik had to dig out of the hidden archives, Demise fought the original Hero wielding this sword. Sheik didn't know whether to trust this text; on the one hand, the book was from the time period, one of the few that survived both time and the Great war, but on the other hand, it seemed so farfetched.

At any rate, Ganondorf shouldn't be able to wield Ghirahim should he turn himself into a sword. Hopefully not anyway. He wasn't Ghirahim's original master.

Sheik approached his room when he heard a very soft whimper from behind Wren's door. There was still light creeping out from under the door; the candles were still lit. Perhaps she had stayed up late reading, or maybe she didn't want to fall asleep in total darkness. A night maid would eventually come by to extinguish the candles, or maybe they would burn down on their own.

Another soft whine, this one followed by footsteps. She was pacing around her room.

Sheik's eyebrows knitted, his gut told him something was wrong.

Very gently, he knocked on her door. It was barely cracked, the latch on this door had always been a bit tricky causing the door to inch slightly open.

The knock was ignored, Sheik tried again, a bit harder this time. He did his best not to give into temptation and peer through the crack; after all, Wren was a lady, and ladies deserved their privacy.

The pacing stopped, and a very quiet "please, stop" came from behind the door.

Sheik remained on the other side of the door, "Wren? Are you okay?"

A soft sob responded, then again, "Please, just go away."

Before Sheik could argue, could try to persuade his way in, Wren spoke again, "I don't know how to give you the Triforce. Go away."

Sheik started, someone was in the room with her! Right then he didn't care how they got in the castle, they needed to get out. Sheik didn't care if they were dead or alive when they left.

He entered the room to find Wren, dressed in night pants and a loose shirt, standing square in the middle of the room. Her eyes were barely open, only the whites showed under the cracked lids, her chin rested gently on her chest, bandaged arms slack at her sides. Her auburn curls limply hung around her head, curtaining the sides of her face.

Every single candle was lit, something a night maid would not have done. Wren had lit the candles herself.

No one else was in the room.

Sheik stepped over the threshold, "Wren?"

Wren started, her head jerking up slightly and then returned its limp hang, "Go away. Please, just, go away. I can't give it to you. I don't know how."

Sheik didn't know what to say. Nothing in his training had prepared him for this. He quickly racked his brain; maybe he had read some small tidbit about a situation like this at some point in his training.

Wren had started to pace, her head still low, arms swaying naturally by her sides. She circled the room, from her bed, to the door behind Sheik, to the dresser and mirror, and then back to her bed.

She was sleep walking, and stuck in a dream.

A bad dream.

Sheik tentatively approached Wren. He had read about sleepwalkers at some point in his life, and was trying to remember how to handle this situation.

Something about not waking them up. Was that true though? Or maybe you could wake up a sleepwalker, or should before they harmed themselves.

Wren retreated from Sheik, her movements as natural as her waking ones. She worked herself into a corner, squatted down so her rear balanced on her heels, and began to softly cry.

"Go away. I don't know how to give it to you."

She paused, someone was talking back to her in the dream.

"It's not that I can't. I don't know how."

Another pause, Sheik silently approached her.

"I didn't get any training with Link and Zelda, only some schooling from Sheik. Please, just let me go."

Sheik stopped short before reaching out to shake Wren awake. She was having a premonition.

Wren ran the back of her hand across her eyes, "Please, just leave me alone. I don't know how to give the Triforce up. I don't think I can."

Wren's head suddenly jerked to the left, a loud gasp emanated from her lips, followed by louder cries.

Sheik knelt down, he didn't want to jerk Wren out of her sleep; he would have to approach this situation delicately.

"Wren, hey, listen to me. It's Sheik. Not dream Sheik, but real life Sheik. I'm going to lift you up okay? I'm going to carry you back to bed."

Wren stayed where she was, crouched in the corner sobbing, she didn't give any sign whether or not she heard Sheik.

Slowly Sheik moved his right arm behind Wren and scooped her up from under her knees with his left. It was awkward, she was deadweight, but thankfully she moved the way he wanted her to. He lifted her up, and she nuzzled her cheek into his chest. She had stopped crying as suddenly as she started and now had a peaceful smile plastered on her face.

The premonition was over.

Sheik very gently lowered her into bed; she clung to his tunic top with an iron grip, making it hard for him to disengage himself, and forcing him to bend towards her.

"Please don't leave me alone Sheik."

He was working on her fingers, loosening them from his top, "You know, that's the second time you've asked me that. You're going to have to learn to sleep on your own sometime."

He really didn't expect a response, but he got one, "Just for tonight."

She let go of his shirt, rolled over in the bed, her back facing him. This left more than half of the bed free.

"You can stay here if you want. Just don't try any funny business. I know how tricky the Sheikah are."

Sheik swallowed and wondered just how awake Wren was at this point.

"Wren, I can't share a bed with you. Tell you what, I will go get a cot from the storage closet downstairs, bring that up with some bedding, and sleep in that. You will have the bed to yourself."

She rolled onto her back, eyes closed, "Whatever you say. Just, don't leave me."

* * *

Sheik decided to let Wren sleep well into the following morning. Naturally, he was up shortly before dawn to begin his morning patrol. Wren hadn't woken up at all during the night, but she did occasionally mumble in her sleep.

He silently left her room, holding the door so it would latch without a click, and turned towards his quarters. He would need a quick bath and a change of clothes before starting the day.

Once he was cleaned and dressed, he padded down the stairs; he would swing by Datura's room before heading to the kitchen to get an early breakfast.

Her room was wide open, the smallest hint of early morning light creeping through the curtains. The bed had been hastily made, the pillows tossed to the headboard and the sheets pulled up but not professionally tucked. Datura was gone as was any luggage she would've had.

Sheik rolled his eyes, this wasn't surprising; Gerudo women lived by their own terms and now that a deal had been struck, she had no need to stay. He wondered how early she took off, or if she left in the middle of the night.

Unsurprisingly, the smaller dining room was unoccupied. He took the small side stairs to the kitchen.

Which was gloriously abandoned, except for Henrietta who was rolling out some dough on the hard table.

Sheik lifted his hand before she could stop what she was doing; he was perfectly capable of finding his own breakfast, and would rather not be waited on hand and foot. After rummaging around for a bit, he found some of yesterday's bread, jam, cold cured ham, and a nice bottle of milk. He settled himself in a corner, out of Henrietta's eyesight, removed his cowl, and began to eat.

He was partway finished when he heard footsteps descending the stairs. These were unfamiliar; light, but not silent like Zelda's could be, unhurried, almost hesitant, the steps of someone either unsure or trying to be sneaky buy failing.

Wren.

Sheik heard Henrietta first, "Oh Dear! You're up early. Zelda and Link haven't requested breakfast yet, and Sheik is the only one to arrive so far. Are you hungry? What would you like?"

Wren's reply was quiet, almost mumbled, "Coffee, please. Just coffee with some cream and sugar if you have it. Or maybe mixed in with some of that hot chocolate drink if it wouldn't be a big pain."

"Not at all, not at all."

Henrietta bustled by Sheik with her ball of dough, careful to keep her eyes diverted from his uncovered face. That was his cue to finish eating, recover himself, and go to the table.

Wren was slumped in her seat, head rested in her folded arms on the table, face obscured by her hair.

Sheik took the seat across from her, Wren didn't even look up and Sheik thought she had nodded off again until she spoke, "Couldn't sleep last night. Nightmares."

"Premonitions?"

Wren slowly shook her head, "No, this was different. The Goddess didn't speak to me, and it didn't quite feel real. I know you tucked me in and stayed with me last night, but I don't exactly remember how we got to that point.

"Like, one minute I'm in the dream, the next I'm standing out of bed, and then after that I know you're next to me. I don't know how I got there though; I don't remember getting up, or you actually putting me in bed, just that you did. Make sense?"

Sheik nodded, "Yes. You were in deep sleep. I came in on you in the middle of your dream, woke you up just enough, and got you into bed."

He didn't want to mention her request for him to stay in the same bed as her; he figured she would bring that up if she wanted to talk about it. Maybe she didn't even remember doing it.

Henrietta had returned with a cup of coffee, a small urn of cream, and a bowl of sugar, "No hot chocolate today. Sorry."

Wren lifted her head and smiled, "It's alright Henrietta, this will be just fine. Thank you."

Henrietta turned to leave the two alone. Wren sipped her coffee slowly. She added far too much cream and sugar for Sheik's taste, turning the dark brown-black liquid a soft tan.

"Do you want to tell me what your dream was about? You know, just talk."

"No. Not to be rude, but just no. I don't remember much of it anyway, just that it was bad."

Sheik nodded and they sat in silence while Wren sipped on her coffee and slowly began to wake up.

"You know how yesterday I wanted to go tour around Castle Town?"

"Mmmmhhhmmm"

"I don't think that's such a good idea anymore. Once Wythro changes my bandages we can find out how healed my arms are. Honestly, I think they are fine, they don't itch and burn anymore. Maybe we could find something to do around here."

She tried to stay nonchalant, but Sheik saw right through it. Instead of prodding her again to share her dream, or ask her why she no longer wanted to visit the city, he simply agreed.

"You need to see the tailor anyway, you are going to run out of clothes here soon. Plus, you will have to get a few outfits custom made: formal attire, a tunic that will fit over your armor, and any other day clothes.

"A visit to the cobbler is also in order. You need good riding boots as well as boots for every day wear.

"I don't think we should arm you, not until I visit with Link and finalize your training schedule at least. Zelda may want to start teaching you the art of magic as soon as possible, and I can always tell you more history stories."

 _Don't forget about the instrument._

"I'd also like to figure out what instrument I want to play."

Sheik nodded slowly, "We have a variety of instruments in the Music Hall, mostly historic or sacred artifacts, but it's not going to hurt them to try them out. We mostly have ocarinas and harps, but we have some flutes, violins, and horns as well. Anything else we will have to go into town to find."

 _You'll find one here, don't worry._

"Excellent."

A few cooks and maids had wandered in and out of the kitchen; Fyn also made an appearance, leaving shortly after with an armful of glass bottles and dried herbs.

Wren had finished her coffee and declined any refills Henrietta offered. She grabbed an apple on the way out the door, and they were off.

* * *

The trip to the castle's cobbler and tailor took the rest of the morning. They were located in adjacent rooms in the far southwestern corner of the castle. The tailor's room had been decorated with mannequins, bolts of fabric in every color and pattern, half-finished outfits, and various sewing instruments. The tailor, a middle aged woman named Ruby, quickly took Wren's measurements and was off, assuring Wren that she would have her outfits by the end of the week.

The cobbler's room was similarly outfitted, except instead of fabric, shoes lined the walls. An apprentice was stretching leather hide on one end of the room, and another hide was being tanned by an apprentice near him. The room stank of various oils and hides.

The cobbler took even less time than Ruby; he quickly sized Wren's feet, knew exactly what she would need, and produced a pair of boots and a pair of shoes in her size. More would be custom made for her eventually, but the older man made sure she knew that he also had an entire standing army to outfit. Wren had a feeling that had Sheik not been there, she would've left with nothing more than a stern talking to about interrupting his work.

Lunch was next on the agenda, and since Wren had barely eaten any breakfast, she was ravenous. Thankfully, they would not need to stop at her room to see Wythro; the nurse had removed her wraps after breakfast, assuring her that Wren's fingers were in fine condition. Her hands were no longer an angry shade of red, but instead back to their normal pale white.

Sheik, of course, didn't eat with Wren. She offered to turn her back to him so he could catch a bite, but he politely declined.

"I can find another time to eat. Zelda may wish to see you this afternoon, possibly introduce you to the Court, or Link may wish for you to ride with him to Lon Lon ranch to decide on a horse."

The idea of being introduced to the Court this early didn't sit well with Wren. She was still wearing guest clothing, and didn't feel ready to meet the Court, whomever they may be.

Sheik must've seen the apprehension on Wren's face, "Don't worry, Zelda won't introduce you to the Court unless you are ready. She'll ask you first, and if you refuse, you can always go with Link to pick out a horse."

They finished their lunch and ventured off to find either member of the Royal Family.

* * *

As it turned out, Link was running drills with his elite men in the training arena on the castle grounds. He wouldn't want to be bothered for the rest of the afternoon.

Zelda had already held Court and was meandering around the arena, watching Link bark orders and his men obey them. To Wren, they seemed flawless, a perfect machine ready for battle. Wren stood to the side, close to the castle, while Sheik approached Zelda. A small conversation was held, and the two began back towards Wren.

"Alright Wren, this is where I leave you. Zelda's going to see if she can't help you tap into some of your magic. See you at supper, try not to fry your hands again."

Wren snorted, "Oh yes, because I love making Wren jerky."

She could tell Sheik was grinning as he walked back towards Link.

The two ladies made their way back to the castle, working their way through the hallways, to another wing that Wren knew she wouldn't be able to find on her own again.

The room they were in was cozy, an unlit fireplace against one wall, plush arm chairs artfully placed around the area, along with a handful of side tables and small desks. A large map of Hyrule decorated the wall opposite of the fireplace; it was incredibly detailed, showing the citizens of every area of the kingdom. Wren would've gotten lost in it had Zelda not been hovering nearby.

"It's lovely isn't it? My Grandfather commissioned it when he became King. He wanted to equally represent every tribe of Hyrule, from the Gorons," she motioned towards the mountains and a marker for Kakariko Village, "to the Zora." With a sweeping motion she moved clear down the map to a vast ocean.

A large green field had been painted between the mountains and the ocean. A few villages (Ordon, Kokiri Village, The Sheikah City) had been noted in the woods that seemed to circle the field. To the west was a desert, labeled as "The Gerudo Valley." It stretched to the far edge of the map.

"So, what's beyond the desert?"

"Another Kingdom. This map only shows Hyrule's limits. Past the desert lies the Kingdom of the Forgotten. Link, Horwell and I think that is where Ganondorf may be holed up. The rulers of that Kingdom were always on edge with the Hylians. They refused to trade with us, refused to even trade with the Gerudo, and remained distant.

"In the War of Time, we lost contact with the Forgotten. We don't know if they are alive or dead; Ganondorf may have destroyed them, but he may have also made them his allies. That's another reason why we want to reopen trade with the Gerudo; we need a way to keep an eye on The Forgotten."

"And the Gerudo don't know anything about them?"

Zelda shook her head, "The desert between their city and the nearest Forgotten city is vast. Even if a trade agreement would be established, it would be difficult. The Gerudo aren't going to waste their time patrolling that area, especially when they think they have an enemy closer to home.

"But, we are here to see if we can't access some of your Triforce's power. Let us begin."

Zelda decided that it would be best to work on Wren's healing abilities; she had already shown "remarkable growth" in that area, and it only made sense to start there.

The two sat in facing arm chairs, Zelda produced a small razor, quietly apologized to Wren, and drug the razor from Wren's wrist to the crook of her elbow. The cut was shallow, only breaking the skin enough to produce blood, and Wren's body healed it within minutes.

Wren was subject to small cuts and burns up and down her arms for the rest of the afternoon. Her body healed on its own, and gradually Wren could focus on a specific ache to heal that area before the others.

Using the delicate razor, Zelda made progressively deeper cuts up Wren's arms. She also increased the amount of cuts and decreased the time in between. Over the course of the afternoon, Wren could willingly heal the cuts as soon as the razor sliced her skin, her arm closing itself back up right after the razor. They only went through half a bottle of healing potion, and Wren never suffered from nausea brought on by blood loss.

Zelda put the razor down and faced Wren, "This is remarkable. For your body to heal the burns caused by Nayru's Love and then turn around and face an afternoon of this! It's unheard of. I wonder if you won't eventually be able to heal others. I bet you could. We will work on that tomorrow."

"The only issue is this makes me really hungry. Like, I feel like I could eat an entire five pound steak by myself tonight, with room for potatoes and dessert."

"You're not tired?"

Wren shook her head, "I might be after I eat, but now, no. Just really, really, really, stinkin' hungry."

Zelda giggled, a girlish little laugh that would've sounded childish or foolish had it been from anyone else, "Well, I did figure there would be side effects. Glad we figured out what one was right away. Come, let's get something to eat. Henrietta is excellent at preparing more than enough food, so you should be able to fill up. Oh, and Wren?"

"Hmmm?"

"I am genuinely sorry for, ah, how I had to train you this afternoon. It was the most effective method—"

Wren held up her hand, "No. Don't worry about it. Seriously, those razor cuts, it was weird, but they barely hurt. Like I saw you doing it, I knew it should've hurt a lot worse than it did, but it didn't feel like you were cutting me. I knew I was being injured, but I didn't really feel it."

Zelda did not look relieved, "You knew you were being injured, but you didn't feel the pain?"

"I guess. Well, sort of. I could feel something on my arm, but not a stabbing pain. It was more like discomfort, and then my brain kicked in and told me I was being hurt. It's not like I could go around with a broken bone before I realized it. My body would know what happened."

Zelda nodded and remained silent. She seemed to be lost in thought.

* * *

Supper was excellent. Sheik and Link joined Zelda and Wren shortly after they sat down and heaping plates of food were placed around the table. It seemed tonight would be a "help yourself" kind of night, which suited Wren fine. She dished up on roasted cucco, potatoes, salad, and bread, taking seconds of everything. Dessert was an excellent apple pie, served with whip cream and glasses of cold milk. Wren managed to put away two pieces before she saw Sheik staring.

"Again staring at me while I eat. It's weird Sheik."

"I've never seen someone your size eat as much as you. It's fascinating really. I'm wondering where it all goes."

Wren shrugged and scooped up another spoonful of whip cream and apple pie while Zelda filled the men in.

"She had a long afternoon of practice with her healing abilities. We found out that it makes her hungry, which is why she ate about three fourths of that cucco. After supper we need to see if she conks out immediately, or if she can keep going until bedtime."

Link chuckled, "I see nothing wrong with how she's eating. Perfectly normal to me."

Sheik rolled his eyes, "That's because you eat like a cow every night anyway. Thank the Goddesses for your training regimen, otherwise we could put you up in town square and charge people money to see you."

Zelda rolled her eyes at Sheik while Link laughed good naturedly, "Sorry we can't all eat in private little corners. I actually like to enjoy my food."

"I'll have you know that I haven't eaten in a corner for quite some time. The last time I did it was this morning. A personal best."

The playful ribbing continued until the plates were cleared away and Zelda and Wren had established their training plan. She would work with Zelda whenever the two had down time; they would have to work around the Court schedule as well as any other events Zelda had to be involved in. While not with Zelda, Wren would either train with Sheik or Link, who didn't have any input on this conversation because they were behaving like two school boys.

 _Don't forget about the instrument you great flapping tit!_

"Um, hey Sheik, do we still have time today for me to see if I can find an instrument?"

Sheik stopped his banter with Link and glanced at the clock on the wall, "Sure. We can go to the Music Hall now if you'd like. I think Link could use a break from my legendary repartee anyway."

"The only thing legendary about you is your enormous ego!"

Sheik chuckled as the two left the room.

* * *

The Music Hall was on the main level, through an archway just off of the Entrance Hall, neighboring the Throne Room. Sheik explained that smaller balls and festivals were held here, while larger ones typically spilled over into the Entrance Hall.

Glass cases full of instruments lined the walls. Ancient sheet music was held in folders and placed in glass cases. An odd looking instrument, Wren quickly learned it was an ocarina, was placed on a pedestal in the corner of the room.

"The Hero of Time used this instrument, gifted to him by the Zelda at the time, to traverse time itself. He used it to access temples and teleport to various locales around Hyrule. It's been passed down from Hero to Hero since. Out of obligation, Link has learned to play it, but the magic seems to be gone. It's useless to him now."

 _It's going to be useless to you too. The Hero of Time was the true owner of this ocarina, no one else will be able to use it like he did._

Wren walked right past displays of drums and horns, stopping briefly at a glass case full of violins.

 _They look nice._

 _They do, but they aren't it._

Flutes and other pipes were artfully displayed in another case; Wren felt no special connection here either.

She came upon a display of harps, some large, non-mobile stand harps while others were made in the style of Sheik's harp.

 _Bingo._

"Um, Sheik, could I try one of those smaller harps?"

"You want to try a Sheikah instrument first? I'm flattered."

He opened the case and took out a small silver harp. Other than the color, it was exactly like Sheiks.

After some guidance from Sheik, Wren properly nestled the harp in her arm and tentatively began to strum, "Don't make fun of me if I can't play. I've never even held a harp before."

Sheik's eyes crinkled, a sure sign that he was smiling, and gestured for her to continue.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and continued to strum.

The melody was gentle, a steady "la-di-da, la-di-da, la-di-da-di-la-di-la-di-la-di-da," which she repeated over again two more times. The melody was simple, as easy as playing chopsticks on a piano, and came naturally to Wren. It was comforting and familiar, a song she felt she knew from her past.

 _There you go._

She stopped, she hadn't realized she'd been swaying gently until she stopped playing, opened her eyes, and faced an astounded Sheik.

"How did you know that song?"

Wren shrugged, "It just sort of came to me. I didn't know it was a song; I just picked a melody and went with it. It felt familiar to me, like I've heard it before."

"You probably did at some point in your past life. That was the Song of Time.


	16. Chapter 15

"The Song of Time?" Like the tune, the title was familiar to Wren, like a name she had heard a long time ago but forgot. She rested the harp in the crook of her arm, still idly strumming.

"The Song of Time was used by the Hero in The War of Time. He played it on the ocarina I showed you when we came in. Without the song, he wouldn't have been able to access the Master Sword.

"It's strange that that is the first song you play, even idly. What's even better, Link's premonition about you involved you playing the harp." Sheik made sure to exclude the part about playing with him.

Wren smirked, "Huh, I guess dreams do come true."

Sheik didn't find the humor in it, "Hopefully only Link's comes true. Zelda's wasn't very pleasant for you. The one I had with you was—" he hesitated, "nice."

"Just 'nice?'"

Sheik nodded and changed the subject, "Songs can be powerful tools Wren. You already know they can put you to sleep, put your mind at ease, put an wandering soul to rest, and even—"

Thunder cracked in the distance, Wren had been strumming the Song of Storms.

Sheik completed his thought, "And even make it rain."

Wren turned toward the large windows, a few fat drops of water had already worked their way down the glass. Lightening flashed in the distance and thunder rumbled, "I did this?"

"It seems the magic you have is strong. We will be in for stormy weather tonight. We haven't had someone with magic this strong flowing through the in quite some time. Zelda can play songs to teleport herself, a skill Link covets, but that's all she can do with music. Link's songs can put souls at ease, both living and dead, and I can only sooth a restless mind and body. Link and Zelda both have their own ocarinas, and you know I have my harp."

Wren stopped strumming, "What do you mean living and dead souls? Ghosts aren't real."

Sheik looked genuinely surprised, "Yes, yes they are. Poes, the common word for ghosts, can be found several places around here. Their souls fetch a pretty penny at some stores, but it comes at a price. You are literally catching a dead person's soul to sell."

"How do you even catch a ghost?"

"By besting it in battle."

Wren rolled her eyes, "Well that's just obvious isn't it. You have to beat a dead person in a fight." Sarcasm dripped off of each word.

Sheik let out a small guffaw, "Poes can be violent. Many carry scythes, and you don't want to trifle with one if you don't have to. They can mask themselves, becoming invisible to the naked eye, and then you are just going by instinct unless you have special tools. That's why they cost so much, they are so hard to catch, and it takes a special kind of person to actually do the job."

"What do you sell them for anyway?"

"Curiosities mostly. Some people love the idea of a soul in a bottle; they enjoy the thrill of owning something that can be so deadly. Sometimes people will buy them if they knew who the Poe was in life. People hire Poe hunters should they have a particularly nasty ghoul taking up residence in their attic."

More fat raindrops splatter against the window, and the wind had picked up, "So you could own your Grandma in a bottle? That… well, I don't know what that is. It seems wrong, a bit messed up."

They were working their way back to the Main Hall and to Wren's chambers, Wren carried the harp by her side in one hand.

"Not everyone becomes Poes. The people who died violent deaths become Poes. That's not to say everyone who dies violently will become one, but all Poes come from violent deaths. We can't really answer why some souls remained tethered to the earth, but we do know that the majority of people chose not to.

"There are theories of course. Scholars, theologians, and heads of religion have all argued over the existence of Poes. One popular theory is that the soul has unfinished business in this world, and they are sticking around to finish it. Another idea is that the Poe doesn't know it died and is carrying on as it did in life. Some argue that the person was faithless, didn't worship any Goddess, and are being punished. That theory isn't very credible though, everyone I've ever met believes in the Goddesses."

They were at the foot of the Grand Staircase, "It's hard to be an atheist in this world isn't it?"

"A what?"

"An atheist, someone who doesn't believe in, or worship, any God."

Wren couldn't see it, but Sheik had begun to chew on the inside of his cheek. He considered his next words carefully, and Wren felt as though she just said something foolish. He was looking at her as though he couldn't believe what she had just said.

"Well, yes. There are first-hand accounts of people who have actually seen the Goddesses. Not just ancient accounts either. The presence of the Triforce is enough to reassure everyone that the Goddesses are very real."

He smirked and continued on, "And I'm talking to a Goddess right now."

Wren felt incredibly stupid. She looked at her feet and mumbled something along the lines of forgetting.

Sheik very gently patted her shoulder, "I can see how you would. You aren't used to it yet, and people aren't going to exactly worship you once they do find out. The Trinity doesn't expect any praise from their people; they don't want sacrifices or alters. They just want people to know they are there. They don't answer prayers all that often, and typically only intervene if there is some sort of a crisis.

"Basically, people know they exist, but it's not something that permeates the culture.

"Were there, atheists was it, in your world?"

On instinct Wren affirmed that there were, but she couldn't remember why. She knew there was religion in her home world, but she couldn't say who, or what, the people worshiped.

"So someone could be free to not believe if they wanted?"

"Yes. I seriously can't remember much, but the religions where I came from were more abstract. We couldn't see our Gods, but some people felt they were there. Does that make sense?"

Sheik nodded, "Sort of like something ingrained, or a sixth sense?"

"Yes. People just knew the Gods were there. There were people that didn't think there were any Gods, and that was okay. I think there were several different Gods too, but not everyone worshipped all of them or the same one."

Wren ran her hand through her hair, "Like, people only worshipped their one God and not the other. I can't really remember though."

They had arrived at Wren's chambers, thunder boomed outside, and the entire castle seemed to shake. Sheik let the topic of religion drop and faced Wren.

Once again she was sucked into his red eyes, almost hypnotized and Sheik's words seemed to flow through her, "Will you be able to sleep on your own tonight? You will be okay without me there?"

Wren dumbly nodded.

"Okay then, you know where to find me should you have trouble falling asleep. I will come and get you in the morning for breakfast. Zelda mentioned at supper that she wanted to work with you again tomorrow, but I'm wondering if Link will also want to spend some time with you. We can figure it out over breakfast."

He turned and the spell was broken.

Wren started and before Sheik could get too far away she reached out and grabbed his arm with her free hand, "Wait. How do you do that? That little trick with your eyes? That hypnotism stuff that makes it so I can't talk or argue."

Sheik blinked and his eyebrows knit together, "I didn't realize I was doing that. Sorry. It's a trick Sheikah's can do when they want someone to really listen to them. I can't really explain on its done, it's not magic or anything that can be learned, just something that we can do. Every Sheik can do it to varying degrees of success. We call it The Eye, and I didn't intend to do it to you there."

Wren looked at her feet again, she really hated conflict but had to talk to Sheik about this, "It's disconcerting to me. Last time you did it, before our supper yesterday, I couldn't even talk and was so lost. I don't like it."

"I can stop if you would like. Just know, I only did it at supper to protect you. It's not that I wanted to silence you, I didn't quite realize it would do that, but I am here to keep you safe."

Wren nodded, "Yeah… if you can try to tone it down a bit…" she trailed off awkwardly.

"Of course."

She finally managed to look at Sheik, searching for something funny to say so they didn't leave for bed on a sour note. When nothing came to her she bid him a quick thank you and goodnight.

Sheik waited until her door was firmly latched before heading to his room. He felt a mixture of stupidity and relief. Of course Wren wouldn't like him using The Eye on her, who would, but he also didn't realize it would be so strong. At least he knew now, she had been honest with him.

Plus, that was the first time he had ever told someone, other than Link and Zelda of course, about The Eye. Wren now knew that every Sheik could do it, even Sha'Lyn if she exposed the top half of her face, and now Wren could remain vigilant around his people.

After all, every tribe has a few bad eggs, even the Sheikah.

Wren, meanwhile, had placed her harp on her dresser and began to get ready for bed. The storm was still raging outside; Wren wondered how long she had been playing the Song of Storms. Her room never felt cozier, a warm and comfortable haven out of the elements. Every other candle had been lit, illuminating her room with a soft natural glow, and her books remained on her bedside table.

Once she was in her pajamas, she worked around the room, capping every candle to extinguish it without letting out smoke, and settled into bed. She kept the oil lamp on her nightstand lit; she would extinguish this when she was about to fall asleep, fully intending on reading until she could no longer hold her eyes open.

She cracked open _The History of Hyrule: A Collection of Firsthand Accounts of Various Peoples Throughout the Land_ , and soon lost herself in the text.

Who knew reading a history book could be so entertaining.

* * *

It was late, around one in the morning, a night maid had swung by and extinguished the oil lamp by Wren's bed, and kindly picked up her book, marked her place, and set it on the bedside table. Wren was out like a light, gently breathing and nuzzled into her covers; the storm didn't seem to bother her at all.

Next door, Sheik was in a similar state, buried under the covers, fast asleep with his Mind's Eye still wide open. He was aware of the storm, aware of the stillness in Wren's room, but he would still wake rested.

A particularly bright flash of lightning struck outside the castle, followed by an unearthly loud clap of thunder.

Wren's eyes flew open and she rose, bent at the waist, legs still in bed, to sit up right. She didn't blink as she threw the covers off of her, pivoted, and rested her feet on the floor.

She was bent at the waist, her face in her hands, elbows on her knees, and began to rock back and forth. She was caught in a nightmare, her mind not awake, her body moving on its own.

She rose, hands scratching at her face leaving angry red streaks from beneath her eyes to her chin. They did not heal instantly, remaining on her face as she began to pace the room in the same wide circle she took before.

Somewhere, deep within the sanest part of her brain, a voice told her to head for the door, to open it, walk down the hall, and to get to Sheik's room.

The instructions seemed so simple, so basic, that her body followed them without hesitation. The nightmare kept playing in her brain, causing her to falter and rock several times before reaching the door.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she had made her way to the door and began down the hall.

She stopped; the space between the two rooms seemed eternal, began to rock again and started to gag. Her body acted like it needed to eject something vile, and gagging was the only way to do so. She doubled over, clutching her throat, making dreadful choking noises.

Of course Wren hadn't been poisoned, not recently at least. This was another reaction to the nightmare: the clawing, the rocking, her unblinking eyes, and now the gagging.

 _Compose yourself._

 _Sheik will help you._

 _One foot in front of the other._

 _It's okay._

 _Go now._

She stood and began her slow shuffling walk, fingers still clawing down her face.

Thunder clapped again, not as loud this time, causing Wren to stumble against the wall.

 _Ssshhh, you're okay._

She repeated the sound she heard in her head, shushing herself like a mother would a child crying out of fright.

Still supported by the wall, Wren worked her way ever closer to Sheik's room, her steps awkward in her sleep. The door was closed, solidly latched, but not locked.

The second the door creaked open, Sheik was awake and out of bed, the dagger he kept under his pillow in his hand. He wore only his night pants, his hair unruly and his face unmasked. Someone had snuck into his room and his Mind's Eye didn't alert him! His body was reacting on instinct from years of training.

His room was totally dark, the only light seeping in from the candles in the hallway. Thankfully, Sheik had no problem seeing in the dark; he knew who the intruder to his chambers was before she crossed the threshold.

She looked crazed; her hair was placed in a ponytail to keep it off her neck during the night, and Sheik could see every detail of her face. It was scratched, her eyes were wide open and manic, and her head occasionally lurched forward as she gagged.

"Oh Farore Wren… what happened to you?" He placed the knife on his night stand and watched as she circled the room. It was obvious to him that she was asleep. Her body was acting on its own, her mind was elsewhere.

She didn't answer, she just continued to circle the room, occasionally stopping to double over and gag. She clawed at her face nearly gouging out an eye.

Sheik calmly approached her, every instinct telling him to not frighten her, his mind screaming at him to approach this as rationally as possible.

"Wren, can you hear me?"

No response other than a quivering jaw.

"No? Okay, I'm going to keep talking to you even though you can't. I need to figure this out, try to calm you down."

He very, very gently grabbed Wren by the upper arms and worked her toward his massive bed. It was slow going, like leading the blind, and he would stop whenever Wren hesitated.

The gagging was the most concerning for him. The awful choking noises, how she bobbed her head, her unseeing eyes still wide open. It was dreadful to watch.

"I'm taking you to my bed okay Wren. We aren't going to sleep together, nothing's going to happen, but I need you to lie down."

Once again, she didn't respond.

He very gently positioned her so the backs of her knees bumped against his bed, hoping she would recline on her own.

"You need to sit down Wren. You need to get to bed. I'm right here, I won't leave until you calm down."

She sat and he parked himself right next to her. She leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder. The scratches on her face began to heal themselves and she no longer gagged.

"That's good Wren. You're okay."

Finally Wren blinked and her body relaxed.

"Sheik?"

"Hmmm?"

"How'd I get in here?"

"You don't remember?"

Wren shook her head on Sheik's shoulder.

"You sleep walked in here…"

"Oh."

Wren was nodding off again and Sheik didn't quite know what to do. He wanted to let her fall asleep, just not on his shoulder.

He gently shifted, "Wren, you need to go to bed. You can sleep in here if you want, but I need to go to your room and get that cot."

She lifted her head off his shoulder, looked at his face, and quickly looked down. She closed her eyes for good measure.

"Um, Sheik. You don't have your cowl on…"

He blinked, he had totally forgotten about his cowl. She would've only caught a glimpse of his face, but judging by her reaction she knew about the Sheikah's customs. Sha'Lyn likely filled her in at some point.

She maneuvered onto the bed and turned her back to Sheik, "You can go ahead and put your cowl on. I won't peak, I promise."

He smirked, of all the stupid ways for Wren to see his face for the first time; he couldn't help but find some humor in the irony of the situation. He had been imagining some sort of intimate moment between the two when he finally revealed himself to her. Of course something would go wrong.

Sheik grabbed his cowl, rearranged it on his neck and the lower half of his face, and left to get the cot from Wren's room.

By the time he returned, Wren was curled in a ball in the far corner of Sheik's bed, as close to the wall as she could get. She was only covered by the sheets, the heavy comforter kicked into somewhat of a nest around her and the pillows arranged in a similar matter. Her back was still to him, but by the lift and fall of her shoulders, Sheik knew she was sound asleep.

He would ask about her nightmare in the morning, hopefully she would be willing to divulge some information on it. These nightmares would have to stop, for both their sanities'. Zelda may be able to help, or perhaps Fyn could brew up a sleeping potion.

Sheik placed the cot near the bed and settled under his blanket. The storm had blown itself out, only a distant rumbling of thunder could be heard.

* * *

The room was still for a short time, the moon gently making its way across the night sky, casting the room in a soft glow. The only movement and sound came from the duo's soft breathing.

Sheik rolled onto his side, his eye lids twitching, his cowl fell off his face to rest around his neck. He rarely ever dreamed, his Inner Eye would not allow it, but tonight was different.

Sheik was chained to a wall in some dark cell somewhere. He was underground, that much was evident by the cold wall against his naked back and the dankness in the air. Wren was chained next to him, and unlike him, she was totally unharmed.

Angry red cuts ran across Sheik's torso, one eye had swollen shut, and he had a broken wrist that was supported by the cuff that chained him to the wall. Wren faced him; she had no visible scars, but Sheik could tell by the look in her eyes that they had both been put through hell.

"How will we get out of here Sheik? I don't think I can take this much longer…"

Sheik's cowl was gone, he knew it had been forcibly removed. He was someone's prisoner; to be captured in battle was beyond disgraceful for a Sheikah. To let Wren get captured as well only furthered his disgrace. How could he have let this happen to them?

"Sheik?"

Sheik only shook his head. He didn't have an answer for that.

"Maybe Link and Zelda will save us…"

He felt like he had heard her say these words before, she was clinging to whatever hope she had left, but Sheik knew they wouldn't be coming. Something terrible had happened to them.

"Please talk to me Sheik."

Sheik opened his mouth and a raspy voice that was almost unrecognizable came forth, "Wren. I love you. I love you with everything that I am, and I want you to know how sorry I am for this."

Wren shook her head, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, "I know that Sheik. I know. But, now we are here and we have to figure out how to get out."

Before Sheik could answer, a door creaked open in the distance and footsteps thumped down the hall. Wren began to quiver; she still maintained a brave face, but her involuntary muscle spasms betrayed her.

She looked him directly in the eyes, and in his head Sheik heard her say, " _Whatever he does to me, don't fight it. Don't get yourself killed. I don't think I can do this alone."_

He spoke back in a similar manner, the words echoing around in Wren's skull, " _If he tries to take you again—"_

 _"Just let him Sheik! Please, I don't want you to get hurt again. I can't heal you here!"_

 _"I'm not promising anything."_

The tears fell, leaving muddy streaks down Wren's dirty cheek, "Sheik, please!"

She had spoken out loud, the words echoing around their cell. They were met with a patronizing chuckle.

"'Sheik please' what?"

Wren remained silent, staring at the floor as Sheik raised his eyes and defiantly stared down Ganondorf as best as he could with one eye bruised shut.

Ganondorf smirked back at Sheik, "The Princess's puppy still has some fight left in him I see. You realize I could have you killed any time it pleased me."

Wren squeaked out a small "no," which did not go unnoticed by the Dark Lord.

"What was that Wren? No? You don't want me to kill the Sheik?"

This was a trap, a mean game, and Wren knew it. She stayed silent.

Ganondorf produced a blade and held it against Sheik's throat. To his credit, he never once flinched or looked away.

"So, it would be okay for me to kill the Sheik? You're sending me some conflicting messages here Goddess."

Wren shook her head, her voice betrayed how panicked she was, "No, please don't kill him."

Ganondorf let the blade slack just a little while he considered Wren, "What will you do for me to keep me from killing him? After all, he's just a trophy for me… but to you, he seems like something much more."

Again Wren remained silent. Ganondorf taunted on, "He's your lover isn't he? It would be a shame if I were to kill him, you'd be left all alone."

He lifted the blade against and pressed the flat edge against Sheik's Adam's Apple.

"You best answer me before my hand slips."

Wren gave a quick, panicky nod.

"What's that?"

She grit her teeth, she knew this game, "Yes, Sheik and I were, still are, lovers. We shared a bed on a few occasions and have grown much attached."

"That's what I wanted to hear. You should know by now that the sooner you say it, the sooner your torment will end. It's nothing to be embarrassed about, well, not much anyway. I personally would chose a better bedmate than some filthy Sheikah, but to each his, or her, own."

Ganondorf sheathed the blade in a scabbard attached to his outer thigh. He turned to wren to un-cuff her from the wall and lead her a small way away from Sheik, "I can show you how a true man works a woman's body. Hell, I have already shown you a couple of times, but, here we are, you still clinging to Sheik."

" _Sheik, I swear to Din, don't try anything!"_

 _"I can't just watch him do that to you again Wren."_

 _"Please, I don't want you getting yourself killed."_

Sheik hung his head as Ganondorf began to slowly undress Wren. Once she was naked, he cuffed her on the floor spread eagle in front of Sheik, knelt between her knees, and worked his pointer finger into her sex while working her clit with his thumb. Her ankles and wrists were both chained; she couldn't use her magic or fight back.

Sheik looked down at Wren's face and noticed that her eyes were absent, blank, the soft teal faded. She had shut down and retreated into herself.

He called out for her in her mind and received no response. She was void of all feeling and emotion.

Ganondorf undid the flap on his pants and very slowly entered Wren, maintaining eye contact with Sheik the entire time. He wanted Sheik to see everything he did to his lover.

Sheik faced the ground and closed his good eye, willing his mind to go blank. He had taught Wren that trick some time ago, she would've had quite a bit of practice with it for her to be able to pull it off so quickly, but his attention was quickly diverted back to the scene before him.

"Keep your eyes open Sheik! I will hurt her more than I have to if you don't watch everything. You know how fast she heals, it makes it quite covenant for me."

He slowly moved in and out of Wren.

"I can bruise her and cut her every night and she's all better by morning. Well, physically at least, I can't say what's going on in that little head of hers.

"Now, look at me before I shove this blade of mine right under her ribs."

Sheik hesitantly lifted his chin and opened his eyes. He came face to face with Wren, standing right before him, her eyes closed tight, her features scrunched.

But she was also on the floor, her lifeless eyes wide open and staring at a fixed point on the ceiling, body gently rocking back and forth against the rough ground as Ganondorf worked himself in and out of her.

The Wren before him grabbed his shoulders and shook him, keeping her eyes steadfastly closed, "Sheik, wake up! Come on Sheik you're freaking me out!"

He shook in his dream and in real life.

Sheik forcefully sat up, drawing in a breath as though he had been drowning. Wren scuttled off of him as gracefully as she could with her eyes closed and fell on her butt a short distance away.

It took Sheik far too long for his liking to register that he was at the castle, not in a dungeon, and Wren was safe by his side. He drew his cowl up and addressed Wren, "I'm covered, you can open your eyes."

Her eyes popped open and she hurried over the Sheik, "I'm sorry Sheik, I didn't see much of your face! I heard you mumbling in your sleep and saw how bad you'd thrashed around. I figured the cowl must've fallen off, so I worked my way over here while staring at the floor, that's why it took me so long! I never peaked, I promise, I just wanted you to wake up! I know secrecy is so important to the Sheikah so I did my best, I'm sorry if I didn't wake you up in time, I just—"

Sheik held up a hand to stop Wren's harried words; she couldn't see it, but his face held a bemused sort of smirk.

"It's okay Wren. I was just having a nightmare. I don't often dream, but that one was bad—"

She interrupted, "A premonition?"

Sheik thought for a second, "No, I don't think so. It was as lifelike as a premonition dream, but it didn't have the same feel to it; it was as though I was there, but somewhere deep within my mind I knew I was dreaming. It did give me some good ideas on some new skills to teach you though."

"Like?"

"Telepathy for one. I could communicate with you in your head, and you could do the same with me. It's not an easy skill to master; only a handful of Sheikah can do it and they are the only race to ever attempt it.

"Healing others was another. You said you couldn't heal me in my dream, which would've meant you had that ability."

He didn't want to mention how dream Wren could shut down her mind so quickly. He would teach her that when the time came.

"Zelda did mention something about me being able to heal others…" Wren trailed off, her unasked question hung in the air. She wanted to know about Sheik's dream, what would cause him to request healing aid.

But, much like her own dream was to him, his was none of her business.

They remained silent in the darkness for a short time until the wall clock softly chimed three times.

"Hey Sheik. Would it be okay if I, well I mean we, slept together tonight. Like, strictly platonically of course, but I could use someone close to me tonight. Your bed is big enough…"

"You're sure?" It was too late, or maybe too early depending on one's perspective, to discuss this. Sheik was exhausted and Wren was on nearing night drunkenness.

Wren nodded and scooted closer to the wall, leaving ample space for Sheik. He crawled under the covers next to, but not touching her; his weight was enough to settle the mattress slightly and calm Wren's mind. She had kicked the makeshift nest of pillows and comforter away.

She was asleep shortly after her head hit the pillow while sleep evaded Sheik.


	17. Chapter 16

The castle dwellers wouldn't have known it, but it was highly unusual for Wren to wake up so early. She preferred to sleep in, snoozing the morning away, letting the world go on around her. For her to be up and at 'em before the sun rose was an anomaly, something she would have avoided at all costs in her past life.

And yet she was, awake before Sheik.

He was next to her on his back, eyes closed, his bare chest rising and fall with each steady breath. His cowl had remained in place for the rest of the night, giving Wren the opportunity to take in the top half of his face.

 _He really is handsome, from what I can see at least._

 _And he's done nothing but protect me since I've been here._

Wren very gently scooted herself to the foot of the bed to avoid crawling over Sheik. She took a quick glance around his room noting the bookshelf and the Lens of Truth before moving to the door. The knife on the nightstand caught her eye; she didn't remember that being there last night.

 _He probably sleeps with one… Nayru knows I would've scared the piss out of him coming into his room so late._

Sheik was out like a light, he didn't stir once while she was moving out of the bed and out the door.

 _That's odd for a Sheikah. He must've just fallen asleep._

 _Well, everyone deserves a lie in every so often._

Wren went about her morning routine of dressing, washing her face, using the toilet, and tying her hair back. She would bathe this evening, and besides, she was hungry.

Except for Henrietta, who was at her usual post rolling out dough for the day's meals, the kitchen was empty.

"Another early morning huh? You know you can sleep in a bit, it's not going to hurt you at all."

Wren sighed and shook her head, "I wish I could sleep in; I didn't sleep well last night. But as it turns out, I'm wide awake, ready to go for the day, I don't even think I will need a nap later.

"Could you point me toward the coffee? I can help myself."

"There's an urn on the stove, the sugar is in the bowl next to it. You can find the cream in the icebox. Anything else you want, just help yourself. The bread on the counter is from yesterday, but some jam or butter would bring it back to life."

Wren thanked Henrietta, fixed herself a small breakfast of coffee, bread, and some cured cold cuts she found in the icebox. She plopped down next to where Henrietta was working and began to make small talk with her while she ate.

Wren learned that Henrietta had been working at the castle since she was a child, starting as an apprentice and gradually working her way through the ranks. She specialized in cucco dishes, but could cook pretty much anything a person's heart desired. She insisted on being called 'Henri,' was married to one of Link's elite, but now retired, knights, and she had three grown daughters who worked in the castle as well.

"And what about you dear? Can you tell me a bit about yourself?"

Wren shrugged, "Not really. I'm not trying to be secretive, but I can't remember much. I can heal myself, that's pretty cool, and am probably going to eat you out of house and home, so sorry in advance for that."

Henri tittered, "I doubt that. Remember, I've been feeding Link since he was only an Earl. I'm also responsible for ensuring his army is well fed. Another mouth, even if it does have a large appetite, is nothing for me."

"How many other cooks do you have down here to help you?"

Henri drew her mouth to the corner of her face in a pucker while she counted everyone in her head. "I think I have around fifty or so girls under my watch. It can be hard to keep track since I have never met the overnight crew. Plus we have a special gala crew that is hired on whenever we do feasts."

"Overnight crew?"

"Mostly cleaning staff and food preppers. I can't expect my cooks to wash every dish they dirty after a long day, nor can we peel every single potato that is dug out of the garden. I come in early to do the bread, and I always have fresh vegetables washed, peeled, and ready to go in the icebox."

"This place never sleeps does it?"

Henrietta gave a soft smile and shook her head, "There is always a guard patrolling, someone in the kitchen, a night maid out and about, along with any other random denizen of the castle. It has to be this way in order to keep the castle running. Imagine how filthy it would get if a cleaning crew didn't come in one night a week to scrub the place down, or all the candles we would go through without the night maids to extinguish them."

They continued their small talk, Wren asking numerous questions about the castle, Henri answering them to the best of her knowledge.

Shortly after Henri placed several round balls of dough in buttered bowls to allow them to rise, Zelda arrived. She worked her way around the kitchen, filling a cup with hot water and steeping some tea leaves, before sitting in front of Wren.

Henrietta scuttled off to make eggs and toast for the Queen, a younger cook placed a bowl of fresh cut assorted fruits on the table along with two bowls and silverware. Wren just realized she was still hungry and helped herself to the fruit.

"I think this morning we will work on your healing ability some more. I really want to see if you can heal others, so it's going to be my turn to face the razor."

"What if I can't heal you?"

"That's what healing potions are for. If you can't heal me after a few tries then we will give it up for the day. But I don't want to let this drop, I personally think you can do it, especially since you can already heal yourself so fast."

The next words came out of Wren's mouth before she could stop them, "Sheik had a nightmare last night, well this morning really, in which I had a healing ability. I couldn't heal him in the dream, but it was there."

Zelda scrunched her eyebrows together, and before she could ask, Wren stated that he had not had a premonition. At least not according to him.

"He's sure it wasn't one?"

Wren shrugged and took a bite of watermelon, "You're going to have to ask him. He told me it wasn't. Like it didn't feel real enough to him, or like he knew deep down he was dreaming."

Henrietta had returned with the plate of food for Zelda and a refill for Wren.

Zelda turned to her food and somehow managed to still hold a dignified conversation while eating. "Well, anyway, after we explore your healing ability, this afternoon will be spent with Link. He needs to start getting you in shape so you can start your weapons training. It's muddy out, it rained all night—"

Wren' interrupted, "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Why are you sorry, you can't control the wea-oh. Of course, you picked an instrument last night after supper. What one did you pick?"

"A harp, the silver one from your Music Hall that is similar to Sheik's. I don't know how long I idly strummed the Song of Storms, but it was apparently long enough to give us a hefty shower. I also played the Song of Time, I played that one first actually, without having learned it. That really freaked Sheik out."

A puzzled expression flit across Zelda's face, "How could you have played a song you didn't know?"

Wren shrugged, "Beats me. I was just messing around on the harp when the song came to me. I thought I was just playing nonsense until Sheik told me."

A short silence took over while Zelda collected her thoughts. The magic Wren carried was certainly strong, and getting stronger each day. The Goddess might make an appearance more sooner than later.

"You will be running circles in the mud this afternoon. He's going to want to work on your stamina before he does anything else. Try to build up some muscles too. I can find some old shoes for you to run in and dig out some older clothes as well."

"Oh, that will be fun. I haven't ran since I was a kid. Don't be surprised if I pass out."

Zelda let out a soft snort, "Link's not going to make you run miles today; he'll start you off easy enough. Besides, you can heal yourself remember. Any muscle aches or shortness of breath should be gone by the end of the training session.

"I'm willing to bet you have more stamina than you give yourself credit for. Don't forget, you are a Goddess, or at least her vessel, you are perfect."

"Psh, perfection is overrated."

Zelda smiled and a comfortable silence fell between the two as they finished their breakfast.

* * *

True to her word, Zelda escorted Wren to the same room they had worked in the previous day for her training.

"Okay, we are going to start off slow, just a small nick on my finger and I need you to concentrate all your energy into healing it. Hover your hand over the cut and try to let your energy flow through you into me."

Zelda pierced her index finger with the razor, a small pool of blood began to form. She held her hand out to Wren, who hovered her hand over it and focused.

Nothing happened.

Wren could feel a tingling in her palm, there was energy there, but it was like her body was confused. She wasn't hurt, it was someone else, and the energy had nowhere to go.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek as Zelda spoke, "Focus Wren, try to make the energy leap. Touch the cut of if you have to."

Wren had never been squeamish about blood and gently rested her palm on Zelda's finger.

Zelda smiled, "I can feel you trying to heal me, your palm is nice and warm, now all you have to do is transfer that energy."

Wren continued to chew on her cheek and closed her eyes. It seemed like an eternity, but Zelda finally let out a contented sigh.

Wren opened her eyes, and lifted her hand to find that the Queen's finger had been totally healed.

She couldn't help it, she let out an excited sort of giggle.

"Look at that! I did it! I mean, it took forever and it was just a small cut, but I got there eventually!"

Zelda couldn't help but grin at Wren's excitement, "Are you hungry at all? How do you feel?"

"I feel great! Can we try again? How do you feel?"

"I feel fine. When you healed me it felt incredibly comforting, it didn't hurt at all. Of course we can try again." Zelda cut herself again, another small injury on the same finger.

Wren touched the cut again, focusing her energy on mending the wound. It took less time this time; Wren could keep her eyes open and watch Zelda's skin stitch itself back together.

"That's so cool! I can heal people!"

Zelda nodded and made a slightly bigger cut, trailing the razor down her finger. Again Wren touched the cut, wrapping her palm around Zelda's digit, and letting the healing power course from her.

The morning continued on in this fashion until Wren could heal a cut that Zelda slashed across her palm. She wanted to continue, but Zelda forced them to take a break after Wren's stomach gave an almighty growl. They washed up in the lavatory (Wren couldn't wash away the blood, but Zelda assured her that she would eventually be able to heal without actually touching the injury), and adjourned for lunch.

They ate in the Small Dinning Hall and were joined by Sheik, Link, Fyn, Horwell, and Gaepora. The food was superb, each plate, once again, customized to the diner. Side dishes were placed around the table for each person to help themselves to.

Wren was dishing up on a rice dish when Zelda addressed Sheik, "Wren says you had a nightmare last night."

If looks could kill Wren would've been six feet under. She quickly apologized to Sheik, letting him know it just sort of slipped out, and Zelda continued on, "You told her it wasn't a premonition, how sure are you on that?"

"Positive. It didn't feel right, I felt real, but not quite on the same level as a premonition. I couldn't actually feel what was going on. Did she tell you how she slept walked into my room early this morning?"

Wren turned bright red and shook her head as Zelda stared her down.

Sheik stayed silent, allowing Wren to speak on her own behalf, "Well, I was having a nightmare, and the next thing I know I'm in Sheik's room. I don't really recall how I got there, but I do remember him waking me up. I stayed the night with him…" she made sure to omit the part about sharing a bed.

Sheik wished Wren had left out that last part, he would receive nothing but grief from Link now.

"What was the nightmare about? It must've been a bad one to cause you to sleepwalk."

Wren swallowed, all eyes were on her, "Well, ah, I can't really remember it. I'm not lying. I just don't know. I know it was bad, that much is for sure, but I don't know any details."

Horwell interjected, "Then it wasn't a premonition. Not if you can't remember it."

Wren shook her head.

"This is the second night you've done this Wren. Both times I had to be there to comfort you back to sleep."

Wren chewed on her lip, "Well, I don't really want to make a habit of it—"

Fyn interrupted, "There are several different types of sleeping draughts I can brew, as well as many other remedies to ease your mind. Tonight you can try some calming tea to see if that helps, and if it doesn't, we will move onto potions. Din knows that Sheik's going to get frustrated having you wake him up every night."

Gaepora spoke up, "There are numerous texts on this subject as well. Everything from why people sleepwalk to cures for nightmares. I can do some research on it this afternoon to see what I can find."

Zelda nodded at both of them while Wren remained silent.

 _Don't deny it, you like having someone sleep in the same room as you._

 _Well, yeah, it makes me feel safe._

 _You won't be able to do that forever you know, you have to be able to sleep on your own._

 _Well…_

Possibly sensing Wren's awkwardness, Link changed the subject to their morning activities. Link and Sheik had spent the morning with the elite knights, whom Wren finally learned were called the White Knights due to their armor, while the other three men had gone about their business as usual.

The topic changed to the Green Knights, Hyrule's standing militia, and when they would meet again for training. This was tricky to schedule since they had to find time to train Wren and search for the Triforce of Power.

"Perhaps we can send them on scouting missions to look for signs of the Triforce. Assign each squad a White Knight as a commander. That would be excellent training for the White Knights as well as some of them need to brush up on their leadership skills."

Link considered Sheik's suggestion with a nod, "I like that idea. We could put the men into squads of around twenty or so and outfit each squad with an archer, a medic, a runner, and a cook. It would teach them self-sufficiency on the battle field and how to take orders from someone that isn't me. Should anything go wrong we can have them report back to the castle."

Zelda added, "And if they were to find any signs of the Triforce they should report back immediately. The more eyes looking for it, the better. This would free us up to train with Wren."

Wren finished her meal while they made their plans.

Link pushed his chair back and rose, "Well, it seems like this afternoon is your training with me—"

Zelda interrupted, "I had a maid take clothes and old shoes to your room."

Link nodded, "Excellent, the training arena is still muddy from last night. Go get changed and meet me in the entrance hall."

Wren rose and exited the Hall to get ready for this afternoon, a deep feeling of trepidation in her stomach.

Link turned to Sheik, a cheeky grin on his face, "So, Wren stayed with you last night huh?"

The others smirked as Sheik reddened, "Nothing happened Link."

Link's grin grew, "Oh Sheik, don't worry, what you're feeling is an attraction to someone else. It's perfectly natural, don't try to fight it. You see, when a man loves a woman—"

Sheik rolled his eyes, "I know about love Link. Din, Nayru, and Farore! You people thinking Sheikah are sexless things! How do you think we get more of us?!"

The King chuckled, "Well, I always assumed you kidnapped them as babies."

"No, we only do that when our numbers are running low… and how do you know about that? It's supposed to be a secret to everyone outside of our cult. I'm going to have to banish someone to blabbing about our baby stealing gig."

The group laughed at Sheik's last joke and departed for the afternoon.

* * *

The training arena was massive, it took up nearly half of the western courtyard. It was an open air structure, circled in by a low brick wall, and a track running around a grassy sparing field in the center. Archery targets had been set away from the arena, the dirt standing points for the archers just outside of the wall. Straw dummies lined the outer wall on the opposite side of where the archers would stand, allowing no chance of crossfire. There was a large shed filled full of various weapons and weights.

"Zelda told me you were a bit nervous about this."

Wren blushed, "Well, I'm not really in shape. I don't remember the last time I ran, and I know my muscles leave something to be desired."

Link gave a good natured laugh, "It's quite alright. All of my men started as average guys; the only ones with an advantage were the farmers, but even then it was slim. None of them had ever handled a weapon before, not unless you count farming tools as weapons at least. Don't worry."

They had entered the arena and stood on the muddy dirt track, "We will start off with some laps around the track; run at your own pace, don't overexert yourself—"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that."

Another good natured chuckle, "I will run with you. I never liked it when people watched me when I was just learning how to use a sword."

And they were off, Link allowing Wren to set the pace. She could tell it was far too slow for him, but he stayed by her side the entire time. The mud squished under their feet and splattered up onto their ankles, shins, and calves.

Wren was hardly winded after the first lap, so they went around for a second.

And a third.

By the fourth lap, Wren picked up the pace a bit, her jog turning into a slow run as she took her fifth lap.

Still not winded, Wren broke into a sprint, forcing Link to speed up with her. He fell behind halfway through the seventh lap.

Wren stopped to wait for him, but he only slowed down to a walk as he passed her, "Don't stop right away after that, your muscles will seize up. Walk a lap or two with me."

He was out of breath while she was only merely winded.

Between pants Link managed to gasp out, "See, I don't know what you were worried about! You did wonderfully. I don't think stamina will be an issue with you. How do you feel? Up for some weight training?"

Wren stated that she felt fine and Link led her over to the shed. He started her off with a five pound barbell, then moved up to a ten pound, and then a fifteen pound. Wren's muscles gave after several reps with this one, and she was forced to drop the bar into the mud with a dull squelch.

"Excellent! Wonderful work! How are your muscles?"

"Achy."

Link nodded, "We can call it a day then. Maybe tomorrow you can do some boomerang training… we will see what the day brings as well as what Sheik and Zelda have planned."

Wren started, "Boomerang? Seriously, a boomerang?"

"What's so strange about that?"

"Well, aren't boomerangs toys?"

It was Link's turn to look confused, "No… not unless you're an awful parent."

"They were toys where I'm from. I know that for sure. Silly little plastic things that never worked."

"That's bizarre. No sane parent would ever give their child a boomerang. For one, they are weapons, and for two, they can be a bit of a challenge to use. It takes a certain amount of coordination to use a boomerang properly.

"And, if they are thrown right, they always work."

Wren couldn't have told Link about the history of the boomerang, how they were used as weapons at one point in time in her world, but what he was saying made sense. If it was heavy enough, you would have a weapon that was capable of knocking someone out and returning to the owner.

"We need to find time to get you a horse too, not to mention fit you for armor and weapons… I have no idea when we will do all that. I'd like to have you fitted for armor as soon as we can since it takes a while to make it, but a horse would be nice too. Weapons, at least a sword and shield, can wait a bit, but not too long.

"Plus Zelda still wants to train you in magic, and I know Sheik wants to do more than just teach you about the history of Hyrule. There's a lot to do."

Wren nodded, she was only half listening, the day's activities were starting to catch up to her, and she realized just how bad she hurt and stank. A warm bath was in order, and for a change, she was more than willing to let other people plan out her day.

They ambled up to the castle, shucked their shoes in the entrance hall, rolled up their pants legs to catch any mud, and ambled off to their chambers.

* * *

The evening passed peacefully enough. Once Wren had bathed, leaving her muddy clothes in the hamper in her bathroom, brushed out her hair, and redressed, she meandered down to the Small Dining Hall for supper.

The meal passed rather uneventfully. Wren was starved enough to eat two heaping plates of pasta along with toasted garlic bread and salad. Then they all adjourned to spend the rest of the evening how they pleased. Wren opted to stay in her room and finish her book.

Around ten o'clock, Fyn knocked on her door with a cup of tea, "This will, hopefully, put your mind at ease. It's supposed to be a natural remedy for nightmares and should knock you right out."

Wren sipped the tea, it had an almost overpowering lemon taste with a hint of sweetness. She puckered her lips, swallowed, sipped again, and again puckered her lips.

"That bad huh?"

"It's really tart, and I've never been much for tea. It's worth a shot though if it does what it's supposed to."

Fyn gave a small bow and headed for the door, "Here's hoping." And he was gone.

Wren gamely finished her tea, put the empty teacup on the nightstand with the saucer and turned back to her book. Before she knew it, she was out.

The night maid, a twelve year old girl named Ira, came to take care of the candles around midnight, which was when Wren's mind decided to kick into overdrive with a nightmare.

Poor Ira ran screaming down the hall to Sheik's room once she turned around and saw Wren standing there with blood dripping down the gouges on her face, her eyes blank and staring right at her.

"Sir Sheik! Sir Sheik! Wake up! Lady Wren is—she's scratched at her face, it's bleeding! She's not right!" Sheik had already changed for the night and was forced to scramble for his cowl.

Sheik found Wren on her knees in the center of the room gagging, blood dripping down her cheeks, and making the same horrible retching noises as before.

He dismissed the terrified maid by sending her to the kitchen to get something to calm her nerves, and scooped Wren up to carry her to his room. She immediately calmed in his arms, the scratches down her face mending themselves.

He sighed, "This can't go on Wren."

To her credit, Wren mumbled an apology into Sheik's bare chest. He gently set her down on his bed and asked if she would like him to sleep next to her again.

Wren gave a sleepy nod and scooted to her spot close to the wall.

And so, the duo spent another night together. Sheik was beginning to think this was fate.


	18. Chapter 17

AN: This chapter, as well as the following one, was really fun for me to write. It took forever, but once I had it out, and I knew what I wanted to say, I got there. I'm trying really hard to have character growth, especially in Wren and Sheik's relationship, and I'm hoping I did that with these two chapters.

Also, on my word doc, I had it formatted so Sheik's thoughts were a different style than Wren's. Well, that was for nothing since it didn't transfer over to this site, so I will have to work around it and find a way to make it clearer who is thinking/talking in the future.

Thanks for being patient while I worked through my writer's block and thanks for reading.

* * *

It was Sheik's turn to wake early. He rose, gently left the bed so he wouldn't disturb Wren, dressed, and made his way to the Potion Master's workroom.

Sheik knew Fyn would already be awake, he was typically one of the first ones up in the morning; some potions were incredibly fickle and had to be brewed "at dawn" or "between the hours of four and five in the morning."

Fyn's chambers were located in the castle's smallest tower; the man had requested as much privacy as possible, and besides that, some of the potions stank during the brewing process. Windows were also a must, along with a smaller separate room that would allow no sunlight or warmth. Books upon books lined the curved walls of his workshop as well as several bottles and vials filled with random liquids. Jars filled with various salves were neatly arranged on one shelf, brass scales on another, and a giant cauldron sat in the corner. It would remain unused and only acted as a bit of decoration. A tight spiral staircase led up to Fyn's private quarters.

The man of the hour was bent in front of a window carefully measuring out a bit of gnarled old root on a set of scales. The red rings on the lobes of his long pointed ears glimmered in the sunlight, his silver hair took on the colors of the sunrise.

He stood tall, cracked his back, placed the root in a tiny jar, and faced Sheik. Sheik always tried to remain indifferent around Fyn, but those eyes were so distracting. The way the soft gray swirled around his slit pupils, how his eyes almost seemed to be one color. The man had paid a small price when he agreed to take on the position of Chief Warlock; his eyes would never see the world the same way as normal people, instead, he would see the Magical Realm. He would be quick to notice auras and Poes, but would only see the rest of the world in greyscale. His ears were also distorted by magic, lengthening over time in order to be more in tuned with the Magical Realm. They would stop growing once they reached about an inch or two past his shoulders.

Fyn had once looked similar to Link, a pale blond young man with blue eyes. Now, he hardly looked like a Hylian.

Again, a small price to pay in order to be gifted such strong magical powers. He could see the colors of auras, but would never see the greenness of fresh grass again.

"The tea didn't work I assume?"

Sheik nodded and Fyn clucked his tongue before continuing, "That's a shame. I have potions that will work, but I had high hopes in the tea. She finished it I assume?"

Sheik shrugged, "I don't know, I can ask her this morning. I bet she did though."

Fyn nodded, "It would be unusual for her not to. Her aura is strong and she is quick to follow directions. Eager to please. It wavers though, I noticed that yesterday morning in the brief time I was in the kitchen, the strong solid aura that I saw when I first met her was waving and shimmering. It's an interesting color too, a dark purple and navy blue swirl, not bright like Link's or Zelda's. It's more along the lines of yours."

Sheik considered this. He was never skeptical about auras, after all, they could tell a lot about a person, but the colors could be tricky. He was told that Link's and Zelda's auras were an almost blinding white light, while he was enveloped in a dark red. Fyn always assured him that colors were only a small part of auras; it was how strong they were that counted, how unbroken they remained while wrapped around their owners. A broken aura reflected a broken person, while a strong aura would always belong to a strong person.

Ganondorf's aura would be as strong as Link's and Zelda's, hopefully not stronger.

Fyn continued on, "I can start her off on a small dose of sleeping potion. Hopefully it will be strong enough to give her a dreamless sleep, but not so strong that she sleeps throughout the next day. Sleeping potions can be tricky, but you know that."

Sheik nodded. Sleeping potions could be very tricky indeed. The brewer had to know the person's height and weight (something which Fyn would've already read off of Wren), as well as the severity of their symptoms. Some sleeping potions were meant to be used on the battlefield, when a healing potion wasn't available, while others were meant to sooth fussy babies.

"I will start her off with a basic purple potion. Nothing too strong, something her system is already somewhat used to by the sounds of it."

Sheik grimaced; Wren had only been in the castle a handful of days, not nearly long enough for him to forget her crying for purple potion on the kitchen table.

He would probably never forget.

"Ah, interesting. Your aura just flared up a bit there. A strong memory maybe?"

Sheik glared at Fyn; he knew the Warlock was only asking out of possible concern, but the question still annoyed him.

Fyn cocked an eyebrow, his eyes swirling, "I meant no harm. Your aura is usually the steady one, it was strange to see it flair.

"Anyway. Purple potion. Tonight."

Sheik nodded and took his leave. He would meet Wren in the kitchen and perhaps he could talk Link and Zelda into allowing him some training time with her.

After all, the sooner they started on their telepathy training, the better.

* * *

Breakfast was a typical affair. Eggs, fried ham, bread, jam, fruit, coffee for Wren, tea for Zelda, and milk for Link. Sheik of course didn't eat.

He briefly filled them in on the events of last night. Wren was, thankfully, more than willing to try purple potion. They then moved the topic of conversation to the day ahead; Wren would be outfitted for her armor today, train with Sheik after that, and then ride with Link and Sheik to Lon Lon Ranch for a horse in the early afternoon.

She would start her boomerang training the next day, and spend tomorrow afternoon with Zelda working on her magic abilities.

Wren and Link excused themselves to the forge.

The impressive stone structure was located near the training grounds, and attached to the castle by a stone corridor fitted with heavy iron doors on either end. It was an open air building, smoke billowed from what could be called windows (in reality they were just large holes were walls should've been, support beams for the roof jutted up here and there), and the place smelled of ash and melted metal.

The Smith, a man as large as the building he worked in, was a friendly, albeit incredibly muscular and hairy man, named Gregor. He wore a heavy apron over his bare torso and soot colored pants. His black hair, whether from the ash and smoke or naturally, was tied in a ponytail in the direct center of the back of his head. He wore heavy goggles and thick gloves.

Link had to shout to be heard, the sound of iron against iron was almost deafening, "Gregor! Hey, Gregor! I need you to fit some chainmail for my friend here!"

Gregor took one look at Wren, cocked his head, lifted up goggles to rest on his forehead, and began to size Wren up.

His voice was deep, incredibly masculine, like a low rumble of thunder, "I reckon' she'll need one o' our smaller sizes. Hmmmm, nothin' too tight, and nothin' too heavy neither. A light mail would be perfec'."

Link nodded, "I don't suppose you have anything like that in stock do you?"

Gregor shook his head and took a step forward, "I'll need to take some measuremens'."

Wren stood, trying her hardest not to wheeze and cough, while Gregor worked his tape measure up and down her body. For such a giant man, he was incredibly gentle, and worked quickly.

"Got 'em. I will have tha' mail ready in, oh, say a week or so."

Link nodded and they were stepped out into the training grounds.

Sheik was waiting by one of the main entrances, leaning against the wall, his legs crossed at the ankles. He was playing his harp, a high tempo beat filling the air.

Link chuckled, "Oh, he's nervous."

"What?"

"He only plays his harp like this when he's trying to calm himself down, or when somethings on his mind. He's probably nervous about his training session with you."

Wren couldn't help but smile, "Well, that's a relief. I'm not the only one."

"You're nervous?! About what?! You've slept in the same room as him the last two nights haven't you? There's nothing to be nervous about."

"Sleeping and training are total different things. Besides, I can't help where I sleepwalk to. I bet if I slept in a bedroom next to you and Zelda, I would walk right in there."

Link smirked, "I doubt that. Most people aren't as, hmm, accepting of the Sheikah. You seem to have taken quite a liking to them."

"That's because a Sheikah saved my life—"

"Sheik has saved numerous lives and the people in Castle Town still avoid him. He's been nothing but good for this city, and yet he's only respected because he's a Royal Guard."

 _The man in the store in Kakariko._

 _"Sheikahs are bad omens."_

"Well, that's unfortunate for them."

Link nodded, "I'm not going to argue with you on that one. Sheik has been like a brother to me. But, I guess old habits die hard. Tell Sheik to have you guys take a late lunch. We can leave here around two, Lon Lon Ranch is only a half an hour away." He turned back to the forge.

Wren approached Sheik as quietly as she could, she didn't want to disturb his reverie. She leaned against the wall next to him, simply enjoying his music. The song was upbeat and when Wren closed her eyes a forest scene played out in her head.

Sheik stopped playing and faced Wren, "We have to work on your stealth skills at some point. You're quiet, but not quiet enough."

"I have a feeling Sheikahs are impossible to sneak up on."

Sheik nodded, "We are, but that doesn't mean other races aren't."

They entered the castle and worked their way to Wren's chambers.

"I snuck up on you the other night. I saw the knife on your nightstand…"

"An anomaly. I always have my Mind's Eye open when I sleep. It was odd for you to have snuck past it."

"Mind's Eye?"

They were in Wren's chambers now, Sheik set up two chairs facing each other, sat in one, and gestured for Wren to sit on the other.

"My Mind's Eye, or my Inner Eye. It's like a sixth sense. I am aware of all of my surroundings all the time. While I get a good night's sleep, my Inner Eye is still wide open, making sure I don't miss anything."

"Does everyone have one?" The space between the two was narrow, their knees almost touched.

Sheik nodded, "Yes, but it's difficult to access. Zelda has barely tapped into hers, not enough for her to keep it open during the night, but enough to know what is going on during Court. Link hasn't even bothered with it, even though it would help him immensely in battle."

"And you have near perfect control over yours?"

Sheik nodded again.

"And you're going to train me to access mine?"

A third nod, "If everything goes as planned. I have high hopes for you Wren. I'm willing to wager all the rupees in the treasury that you will be able to access your Mind's Eye by our third or fourth training session."

Sheik reached up, pressed his index and middle finger tips to Wren's temples and just stared directly into Wren's eyes.

 _Awkward_.

Wren swallowed, she didn't know where to look. Her eyes distinctively darted to her lap—

 _No, don't look down, it's a sign of weakness._

Then back up to Sheik's ruby eyes—

 _Intimidating._

Until she finally settled on closing them.

"I need you to keep your eyes open Wren. Look directly into mine. I'm trying to access your brain's frequency."

"Frequency?"

"Mmhhmm. Think of it like our brain's aura. Each person has a unique one, and I need to tap into yours."

"I have an aura?"

Sheik gave a subtle nod, still staring at Wren, his fingertips resting lightly on her temples, "That's a lesson for another time, right now, I need it to be as quiet as possible. Remember, eye contact."

They sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Wren's mind began to wander.

 _I wonder what's for lunch._

 _Probably a cucco dish of some sort._

 _Is it even close to lunch time?_

 _I wish I could look at the clock._

 _Maybe just a side glance._

 _Better not chance it._

 _My nose itches._

 _He probably won't appreciate it if I scratch it._

 _Is this even working?_

 _Who knows?_

 _Sheik would._

 _Don't be a smart ass._

 _Well, I guess the view isn't half bad._

The corners of Sheik's eyes crinkled, he was smirking.

 _Oh shit, he heard that._

Wren felt warmth creep into her temples from Sheik's fingertips. The gentle heat seemed to flow through her skull, behind her eyes, and further still. She felt it in the back of her head, resting against the inside of her skull.

Sheik's voice was an echo inside her head. Distorted and strange; it sounded like he had shouted it a great distance away from her.

 _"Yes, I heard that…"_

Wren opened her mouth to say something, anything really, before Sheik stopped her.

 _"No, speak in your head. I want to see if you can talk back to me."_

 _"_ _How do I do that?"_

 _"You just did. I have your frequency, all you have to do is think and I will hear it."_

 _"So you will hear everything I think about?"_

 _"Only if it is directed at me. I'm filtering out all of your background thoughts, focusing solely on our conversation."_

 _"That's a lot of junk to filter through."_

Sheik nodded, _"You have a lot on your mind. That's understandable. Now, touch my temples, just like I'm touching yours, I want to see if you can latch on to my frequency. I will send it to you, but eventually you will be able to do it on your own."_

Wren lifted her hands, weaving her arms over Sheik's, and gently set her first two fingers against his temples.

At first she felt nothing. She knew Sheik was still in her head, the warmth was still there. Finally she felt something reaching out to her, the same warmth reaching to her fingertips. It was the same temperature as a pleasant spring day and worked itself through her fingertips, up her arms, shoulders, and neck, and into her head, where it joined the other heat.

Not only did Sheik's frequency have a temperature, it also had a taste. Wren swallowed and worked her mouth in a way that would suggest she was trying to get rid of cotton mouth. Sheik's frequency had a strong cinnamon taste along with cloves and allspice. It was pungent and almost overpowering.

 _"You taste… interesting. It's strong."_

 _"My taste? Oh, my frequency. Yeah, each person has a unique—I guess you would call it a flavor—of sorts."_

 _"Huh, so, what do I taste like?"_

A pause, Wren could still feel the connection between the two, but Sheik's mind remained silent.

 _"Oh, no, that came out wrong! I meant to say what does my frequency taste like?"_

 _"Cherries. Not raw cherries, but like cherries baked into a pie or other dessert. Sweet, sugary, and just a bit tart."_

Wren felt the connection wain, Sheik was withdrawing his frequency, the warmth was leaving Wren.

He lifted his hands away from her face and she interrupted him before he could speak, "Sorry if I offended you. I just wanted to know. I mean, it's strange isn't it. I have my own personal flavor."

Sheik let out a soft little snort, "I'm not offended. I just didn't want you in my head anymore. Other thoughts, thoughts that I didn't really want you to see, were about to emerge. It's hard to control. Eventually, you will get to the point where you can close your mind to intruders, or feed them false thoughts."

Wren was aghast, "I can't do that yet? Anyone could get into my head?!"

A sad nod was her only response.

"So any jackass can tap into my thoughts without me knowing it?! That's perfect!"

"You'd know it. You'd feel the invasion the same way you felt me in your head. You just wouldn't be able to stave them off. They would have access to all your thoughts, no matter how hard you tried to push them out; that's why we have to get your brain built up and make it so you can block them out."

"You can't even do it! You had to sever the connection, not push me out!"

 _Why are you arguing?_

Sheik shook his head and took a deep breath to keep his temper in check, "I am perfectly capable of pushing you out of my head. I just chose not to. Doing that, especially if you do it wrong, can result in some very messy results. At the least, you would've had a splitting headache, at the worst, you'd be a drooling puddle on the floor."

"That's a hell of a discrepancy!"

"Which is why I simply severed the connection. The thoughts that were emerging were powerful ones, I would've had to force you out of my head."

 _There's your answer, drop the attitude._

Wren sighed, "Sorry for snapping. I just, I just don't like the idea of people fishing around in my head."

"No one would. That's why I plan on helping you build up a barrier. It will take time, and it won't be easy, but you will be able to do it."

"So how's this going to work?"

Sheik very gently took Wren's hands and gave her a sympathetic stare, "It's not pleasant, and I would like to apologize in advance, because it will hurt. Not a physical pain like your training with Zelda, but more like a mental pain. You will feel it in your head, in your brain, and—" he hesitated.

Wren raised an eyebrow, "And?"

"And… I will have to, and there's no nice way to say this, assault your mind."

Her cocked eyebrow feel along with the other, forming a crinkle above Wren's nose, "Assault my mind?"

"I will, and this will only happen after you are comfortable with telepathy, have to begin to forcibly try to enter your head. I will do this by invading your mind, prying into your fears and forcing them to the forefront of your thought. We will start off easy of course, but I will have to gradually work you up until you can totally block me out."

Wren swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, "Oh…"

Sheik looked down, his hands still holding Wren's, "Like I said, it won't be fun, or easy, and it will hurt. But, you have to know how to do it."

He was answered by a silent nod while Wren searched for the right words, "I know why I have to. I get it, and, I am up to the challenge. You just have to promise me one thing."

"Anything."

 _He's sweet._

"You have to stop when I say stop. You can't pry into my secrets. If you access a memory that I don't want you seeing, you have to stop right away. And, if you do see something I don't want you to see, you have to forget it. You can't tell Link or Zelda, just, I don't know, I guess act like you never saw it."

Sheik did something unexpected. He slid off his chair, knelt on one knee before Wren, grasped her right hand with both of his and swore and oath, "My Goddess. I will never betray your trust. I will never tell your secrets. I will never purposely harm you, and I will always respect your wishes. I understand how much of your trust you are giving me by allowing me to access your thoughts, and I will never betray you.

"You have my word."

He stayed knelt.

 _Tell him to rise, and for the love of Din, acknowledge his vow!_

Wren cleared her throat, "Sir Sheik, you may rise. I accept your oath."

And so he rose, extending a hand to Wren to help her off her chair, and they silently went to lunch, a comfortable and knowing peace between them.

* * *

After a very satisfying lunch, Link, Sheik and Wren made their way to the stables; Lon Lon Ranch was next on the agenda. Link would ride Epona, of course, while Sheik and Wren would ride Ides.

Aeron was in the stables, back from his rewarded time off, and gave a friendly wave to Wren. She smiled and waved back, making sure to point out that she was all healed, and they were off through the paddock and the eastern gate.

Before Wren knew it, they were upon a large wooden wall that circled around the ranch. They could enter through one of the various gates that were built into the wall; all the gates were wide open, security wasn't terribly tight.

Barns, sheds, stables, cucco coops, a handful of pigsties, a few modest houses, as well as a larger manor house, were the only buildings in the area. The rest was a large pasture designed perfectly for the free-range grazing of the livestock. There was a large garden fenced into a wide semi-circle along one side of the wall. Produce of every kind grew freely there.

She couldn't help it. Even with the smell of manure and animal, Wren smiled as they dismounted the horses. This felt like home to her. She would leave this ranch with a horse, and nothing could be better.

 _Did I grow up on a farm?_

 _No… I don't think so._

 _It just feels so good to be here!_

Another voice interrupted her thoughts as warmth crawled through her skull, _"It is pleasant out here isn't it? Malon prides herself on making this ranch as enjoyable as possible."_

Wren made a face and somehow managed to glare and smile at Sheik at the same time.

 _"Can I always expect you to eavesdrop into my head, or is this just a special occasion?"_

 _"I was just wondering what you were smiling about. You haven't looked that happy since you got here. I was curious as to what was making you so happy."_

 _"Well then you're lucky I wasn't thinking some random dirty thought."_

 _"In a barnyard?"_ Sheik gave Wren a look of mock disgust.

She had walked right into that one and didn't know what to say.

 _"Touché, Sheik. Touché."_

"Did I miss something?" Link had been staring at the two during their hidden conversation, "You two have been making faces at each other for a while now."

Wren could only shake her head and giggle. They must've looked ludicrous making faces at each other without speaking.

"I worked with Wren on telepathy this morning. We were just practicing it."

"Telepathy huh. Hopefully you pick it up better than I did. I couldn't do it for anything."

"Wren's already managed to access my mind."

"Wonderful!"

"I do have to touch you though. I can't do it like you do."

Link raised his eyebrow and gave a little smirk. Wren continued before Link could say anything, "His temples you ding dong. I have to touch his temples!"

The King raised his hands in playful self-defense, "Hey, you said it, not me. I wasn't going to say anything."

"Oh like Hell you weren't!"

Link laughed, a good hearty sound, "Okay, yeah, you got me. I was about to say something about you and Sheik alone touching each other, but you interrupted me and now the moment is gone."

Sheik remained impassive while Wren playfully punched Link's arm.

Someone with bright red hair was marching her way across the pasture to meet them. Even from this distance, Wren could tell that this woman was beautiful; she had wide hips, a large chest, and very dark red hair that feel to her waist. As she neared them, Wren couldn't help but notice her toned muscles, flat stomach, and sun kissed sin. She was tall too, standing a few inches taller than Wren, and wore a simple white and yellow dress, a brown half apron, and loose boots that sagged around her calves.

Her voice was sweet and sincere, "I was wondering when you guys would show up! About time you came out to visit me. How long has it been Link? Too long!"

She embraced Link, giving him a soft kiss on both cheeks and gave Sheik a soft smile. Wren had a feeling she would've hugged him too if he would allow it. She wasn't intimidated by him in the least.

The woman faced Wren, "And you must be the girl who is getting a new horse today. I am Malon. This ranch has been in my family for generations and you are more than welcome anytime."

She extended a hand which Wren took. She noticed that the woman's fingers were a strange mix of calloused and soft, "I'm Wren. And thanks. This place is wonderful. I knew the second we entered the gate that I would like it out here."

Malon smiled and Wren noticed a miniscule gap between her two front teeth and a row of freckles across her nose and cheekbones, "Well thank you! I do what I can."

She turned back to the pasture, "Come on, we have a horse to find. I hope you can find one here. I think the best way to go about this is to just have you meet them. Then you can see which one feels right."

Several horses were grazing in the pasture, dotted here and there, while others were kept in the stables. Malon explained that they kept the males in the stables while the mares grazed, switching them several times a day. They also gave the horses plenty of exercise, routinely riding and training them.

The mares were an assortment of colors: some were pure white, others were a dapple grey, while even more were the same soft brown as Epona. Some of the horses shied away from Wren, while others gamely allowed her to pat their shoulders'.

 _No, these don't feel right._

Wren shook her head at Malon, who was waiting on the edge of the pasture with the boys.

The redhead gave Wren a toothy smile and beckoned her back, "That's okay. Let's go have a look at the stallions."

As they approached the stables, Wren heard and unholy commotion. A tall man with a prominent gut was currently attempting to get a saddle on a solid white horse with a black mane and tale. The horse was having quite a fit by bucking away and biting at the worker.

Malon shouted, "Ingo! That's enough! The horse doesn't want to be saddled, let it stay unsaddled. We will use him as a stud! He's not meant to be ridden!"

Ingo placed the saddle on a saddlehorse nearby and looked past Malon to Link, Sheik and Wren. He gave the King a very polite, almost over exaggerated, bow, sneered at Sheik, and stared right through Wren.

 _Don't trust him._

Wren glanced at Sheik, trying to reach out for his mind.

 _"Yes?"_

 _"I, uh, I don't like this guy. Something doesn't feel right about him."_

Even in his head, Sheik's tone was disdainful, " _Then you have a good read on people. Ingo is only working on this farm as a last resort. Malon didn't really want to hire him, but he was her father's best friend, and the best man for the job. His character leaves something to be desired though."_

 _"Someone I need to watch out for?"_

 _"As a threat? No. As a snide, sniveling, rude, old creep? Yes."_

The man's voice was surprisingly nasally, almost as congested, "I'm sorry _Ms._ Malon" he spoke her name with a grating false kindness, "I didn't realize we had guests. This horse would be excellent for riding if you would just let me break—"

Malon's tone was firm, "No. He is here to stud and that is it. We will not break him, we will not ride him. That is not his purpose."

The horse had calmed down in Malon's presence and stared directly at Wren with his almost gentle eyes.

 _This is your horse._

 _Are you insane?!_

 _No. This one._

"It would be a shame to waste such a lovely animal as a stud—"

"We aren't wasting him!" Malon's temper was threating to erupt, "You know what, just go. Find something else to do while we find a horse for Wren!"

Ingo sized Wren up and sneered, "Good luck."

Again with the false kindness.

Ingo left and Malon turned to the remaining three, "I'm sorry about him. He really is good at what he does, he just, he's so stubborn. He sees a strong horse and immediately thinks we have to break it. We don't have to ride all of our stallions!"

Wren had slowly begun to approach the horse, her steps were easy and cautious. The horse continued to stare at her, a seemingly bemused look in its eyes. Malon watched Wren out of the corner of her eye and shifted her stance to not allow Link or Sheik to interrupt.

"What's his name?"

"Ingo."

Wren scoffed, "No, the horse. What's the horse's name?"

Malon turned to face Wren, her body language encouraging Link and Sheik to stay still, "He doesn't have a name."

Wren very, very, very, slowly lifted her hand to the horse's nose. Deep down she knew the horse wouldn't bite her, but on the surface she didn't want to take any chances, "That's a shame. Every stud should have a name. Can I name him?"

Malon smiled, "I don't see why not."

Wren stroked the horse's nose as she thought. The animal was so fierce, but incredibly calm at the same time. He was strong willed but still willing to allow those he liked touch him, "Tempest. His name is Tempest."

Tempest whinnied and lightly pushed his nose into the side of Wren's face and neck. Wren ran her hand down the horse's mane and over his neck. He was muscular, that much was certain, but not as strong as Ides. He would be quick like Sha'Lyn's horse, Monsoon, but strong enough to support her and any armor or weapons she would have.

Malon was the first to break the pleasant silence, "That's a fitting name for such a horse. Would you like to try to ride him?"

Wren's heart jumped into her throat. The horse trusted her, that much was for certain, but if he didn't like to be saddled…

"Um, well, only if we can saddle him. I don't know if he will like it though."

Malon easily picked up the saddle from the saddlehorse and gave it to Wren. The saddle was big and bulky, and awkward to hold on to. She struggled under its weight while Malon gathered a bit and reigns from a hook nearby.

"I bet he will let you do it. I will coach you through it."

And to Wren's surprise, Tempest stood still while she clumsily worked the saddle onto his back and ran the straps under his belly and over his chest. It was slow going but Tempest remained patient.

Once the saddle was properly fitted, and Tempest had a bit securely set behind his teeth, Malon led them out of the stables to the pasture. There she showed Wren the best way to mount a horse and boasted her onto Tempest's back.

Wren sat high in the saddle, which was slightly too large for her, while Malon led Tempest by the reigns; Sheik and Link remained near the stables to observe. The horse's gait was strong, steady, and incredibly smooth. Wren didn't notice any awkward jolts or bumps.

"He's doing wonderfully for a horse that's not broken!"

Wren could only nod, she was still nervous atop such a strong, and supposedly still wild, animal.

Malon handed Wren the reigns, "I'm going to talk you through some commands. If Tempest gets out of hand, I will be here to calm him down. If he bucks you off, tuck and roll!"

 _Oh, that's wonderful, just leave me on a wild horse!_

 _You'll be fine._

The commands were easy enough and Tempest followed them without any hesitation.

"You sure this horse hasn't been broken yet?"

"Positive. Ingo wasn't able to saddle him when we purchased him, so I made the decision to use him as a stud. I've caught Ingo trying a few times to saddle him, but it always ends badly.

"He's not a stupid animal though, that much is evident. Plus he seems to have taken quite a liking to you."

Wren was controlling Tempest on her own now and turned him back to the stable, "I wonder why?"

Malon shrugged, "Who knows. Horses are intuitive animals. Epona picked Link by pure happenstance, and Ides accepted Sheik was they were both young. The horse usually picks the rider, not the other way around."

Much to Wren's chagrin, Ingo had joined the two men by the stables. He was casually leaning against the wall, trying too hard to look disinterested.

Sheik was the first to approach Wren, he helped her dismount Tempest. The action was awkward, Wren was forced to cling to Sheik for support; she would need practice. Link and Malon laughed good naturedly at the duo while Ingo only snorted.

"She can't even dismount him properly and yet he lets her ride him. Unbelievable."

Wren shot Ingo a cold, appraising look, shrugged and stated that maybe Tempest liked her better.

A beat of silence. Malon and Link raised their eyebrows at Ingo, almost daring him to retaliate, Sheik took a very subtle step closer to Wren, and Ingo looked as though he expected an apology.

 _I just fucked up._

 _"No you didn't. You put him in his place. He gave you attitude, so you returned it. Don't apologize. It was uncalled for, especially around his King."_

Ingo continued to stare pointedly at Wren, " _Why do I feel like he's wants to smack me?"_

 _"Probably because he does. He doesn't know you. He has no idea you are the Goddess's vessel. To him you are just a commoner."_

Malon broke the silence, "You are excused Ingo. Go muck the stables. It is obvious Tempest picked Wren as his owner, not you, so you'd be better off not dwelling over it." Her words were cold and final.

Ingo left, no sign of injured pride in his steps, glaring daggers at Wren the entire time.

"I'm really sorry about him."

Link shook his head as he spoke, "Don't be. It's his issue, not yours. I don't think of him as a reflection on your ranch at all. If he wants to be a rude and jealous ass, that's his own fault."

His voice took a deeper inflection as he continued, "If he ever, and I mean ever, lays a hand on you though Malon, I will personally ride out here and slice off that hand myself."

 _Intimidating._

 _Don't screw with the King._

" _You can say that again. Link's not all happy go lucky. He's very protective of his friends and family, and Malon has been in his inner circle since they were both children."_

Malon nodded, her jaw set, and they spent a small amount of time idly chatting before departing for Castle Town.

Wren rode Tempest next to Sheik while Link rode slightly ahead of them. He turned in his saddle to suggest dining out for the evening. Thelma's bar was always a good place to get something hearty to eat, and they could always hitch the horses outside of the gate; the bar wasn't too far into the western side of town, after they ate they could walk the horses through the city square directly to the castle's property.

Wren smiled, her unease about visiting the city totally forgotten.


	19. Chapter 18

Thelma's bar was, oddly enough, run by a woman named Thelma. She was a large, burly woman with an easy smile, several piercings through her ears, eyebrows, and lips, and orange-red hair that she tied up in a high ponytail with various bands and scarves. Her dress was a tasteful, almost fashionable, patchwork of varying colors, each bit complimenting the color next to it; it looked as though it was made of high fashion rags. The golden bracelets on her wrists clinked whenever she waved her arms, which was often, and her other jewelry seemed to jingle with each step she took.

She was wonderfully eccentric, friendly, and a skilled conversationalist. In short, she was the perfect bartender.

The tavern itself of small and homey. A single fireplace, currently unlit due to the warm weather, was inlaid in the eastern wall, several small round tables placed nearby. Thelma stood behind the bar, a large wooden slab that extended the length of the building with more than two dozen stools lining the outside; Wren was certain the bar was were all the magic happened. A small kitchen, along with two cooks, sat behind the bar, visible by only a service window. They specialized in meat and potato style dishes, meads, ales, wines, and stronger spirits imported from all over Hyrule.

Link, Sheik, and Wren sat at the bar and Thelma wasted no time greeting them, "It's been forever Link! Oh, oops, My Royal Highness Link, Master of Our Realm." Link laughed with Thelma and she continued, "How is life in the castle?"

"I can't complain. No, seriously, I can't complain. It's good to be the King."

Another good natured laugh from Thelma and she turned to Sheik, "And it's been even longer since you've graced this establishment Sheik! Don't tell me you're getting bored of all the gloomy, dark, and dank places so you just had to step out into the sunshine. That won't do at all! A Sheikah is supposed to be a miserable human being, don't ruin your reputation!"

Wren laughed into her glass of wine, a perfectly sweet fruity blend, while the corners of Sheik's eyes crinkled, the only sign he was smiling under his cowl, "Well, you see, I just had to take a bit of a break from all the gloom and doom. To Hell with my reputation!"

Wren's laugh brought Thelma's attention to her, "And you must be Wren. I've heard a lot of talk about you! A stranger in the castle, whisked in at night, attacked by Stalfos, only to save a stable boy."

"He tried to save me first."

Thelma nodded, "And modest too. A wonderful trait that, alas, I never managed to pick up."

Their food was delivered and Link dove into his steak and potatoes, "So," he said between mouthfuls of food, "Aeron's been here huh?"

"Of course, where do you think your men go when they have a day off and some extra pocket change? That's how I learn so much; it's fascinating what good food and good liquor will do to a man."

"And what, pray tell, have my men been idly chatting about over their pints?"

Thelma feigned casualness by picking at an imaginary speck on her fingernail, "Oh, just that a young woman named Wren had to be whisked in by horseback and that you Royals have taken an awfully intense interest in her. They don't know anything else, so of course speculation and rumors abound."

Thelma turned back to Wren, who was devouring her pork chops in an entirely unladylike manner, "Tell me, do you by chance have Gerudo blood in you? What about a few Sheikah bones rattling about?"

The questions were only jokes, but they still managed to shock Wren enough to cause her to cough through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. When she finally got her sputtering under control, Thelma waiting with a bemused expression the entire time, she wiped off her mouth and spoke, "Nope. No Gerudo here, and I don't think I have any Sheikah bones in me. Last I checked I didn't at least."

"Are you sure?" Thelma suggestively raised an eyebrow and tilted her head toward Sheik, "I saw how close you stood next to him when you walked in. Nervous of the environment, but trusting of your guardian. You're sure you haven't had any Sheikah body parts in your recently?"

Wren reddened while Link tried in vain to stifle his laughter. Sheik simply pursed his covered lips, his desire to scold Thelma halted by Wren's embarrassed laughter.

"I guess I walked into that one didn't I? Well, you seem awfully interested in what I do behind closed doors for someone I just met. Tell me Thelma, do you ask ever new patron these questions, or am I special?"

Thelma smirked, "Both. I love watching people I've never met get all flustered. You reacted admirably by the way. I've had more than my fair share of grown men clam up, down their drinks, and leave without so much as a goodbye."

"Well that's just rude. You should at least tip your bartender!"

"Right! Speaking of which, which one of you is paying for all this, as if I have to ask. It better not be Wren here, a gentleman always pays for a lady's food."

Link waved her off, "Put it on my tab. I'll have someone down here to pay it tomorrow."

The same comfortable feeling Wren had felt at Lon Lon Ranch washed over her. The bar wasn't filled to capacity, but there were enough bodies around to instill a sense of home; the peaceful sort of feeling families get around Christmas or Thanksgiving. Wren couldn't help but enjoy herself before she went back to the comparably colder castle.

Besides, there was no true rush. The sun had only barely set, its last rays peaking over the horizon, casting Hyrule Field in a soft pink and orange glow. The wind had picked up a bit a well and groaned gently through the streets of Castle Town.

Another gust of wind, this one more of a howl than a groan, and Sheik's demeanor changed. He had been slightly slouched in his bar stool, something Wren would have never even imagined Sheik doing, but now he sat perfectly straight and subtly moved closer to Wren. Link's attitude also changed; he seemed more alert, more in tune with what was going on outside.

Wren tried to reach out to Sheik, but it was useless. She couldn't pick up his frequency without touching him.

A third gust of wind from outside, this one sounded entirely too unearthly, followed by a high pitched scream.

Link and Sheik were up and at the door before anyone could react. They wouldn't draw their weapons in the crowded bar, but all bets were off the second they crossed the threshold.

 _"Wren, can you hear me?"_

She stupidly nodded at Sheik's back before affirming that she had.

 _"Good. You stay here, tell Thelma to lock the door and not let anyone she doesn't know in. Try to keep people calm but don't let them leave—"_

 _"Sheik, these people don't even know me—"_

 _"Thelma will help you persuade them. Just stay put. If that sound was what I think it is, we are in deep trouble."_

 _"What? The wind?"_

 _"No, a Redead. Don't tell anyone about it, except maybe Thelma, it will only cause alarm. No matter what you hear outside, do not come out. The last thing we need is you around a Redead."_

And the connection was severed. Sheik and Link were halfway down the narrow street before Wren could reaction.

"We need to close and lock the door. Everyone has to stay inside. Thelma, I need to talk to you."

Surprisingly, the townspeople obeyed without hesitation. Link and Sheik exiting and drawing their weapons, an action that was not missed by those sitting near the door, was enough incentive for the patrons to listen to their companion.

Thelma pulled Wren into the kitchen, shoeing the two cooks out, "What is it?"

Wren swallowed, "We have to keep people inside, we can't let anyone in unless you know them. Sheik thinks it might be a Redead outside."

Thelma's orange eyebrows fell, "And how would you know what Sheik thinks?"

Wren chewed on her lip, "Umm. Can you keep a secret?"

Thelma nodded so Wren told her about her training session in telepathy with Sheik. She managed to keep it vague but still believable enough for Thelma to listen to her.

The bartender could only let out a low whistle, "You must be something special to have a Sheikah personally train you."

Wren stayed silent, she didn't know exactly how much this woman had learned from the gossip of stable boys and soldiers.

"And the Royal Family has taken quite a liking to you too" Thelma continued, "Where did you say you were from again."

"Not around here. Sorry, that came out rude. I—I can't really remember where I'm from. Um, can we leave it at that?"

Thelma smiled her giant toothy smile, patted Wren on the shoulder and agreed.

"My curiosity sometimes gets the best of me. The Queen will announce you when she feels good and ready to."

"I'm really not trying to be rude, it's just, well, I don't know how exactly to describe myself."

Jewelry jingled as Thelma shook her head, "Not a problem!"

They left the kitchen and Thelma helped restore whatever order was lost in the bar. She reassured the people that they were locked in for their own safety and that King Link and Sir Sheik would be able to handle it. She even managed to crack a joke about it possibly being a cat in heat, causing a handful of people in the small crowd to chuckle.

The moans seemed closer to the bar now and Wren still hadn't heard a single weapon strike. Surely the men would've attacked by now?

Another scream, this one further away, followed by another soft moan, also further away

 _There's more than one._

 _They are going after the one further away._

 _They didn't know about the closer one!_

Wren began to chew on her lip again and turned to Thelma. The woman had blanched but was still trying to remain calm. The people in the bar were becoming panicked.

Then they heard it, the sound of several dozen pairs of feet running down the alley. People were searching for a place to hide, or possibly seeking refuge closer to the wall, within the archers' range.

Wren moved without thinking, completely disregarding Sheik's orders, she flung open the door to the tavern, and grabbed the first person that came within an arm's reach. It was an elderly man, his beard nearly tucked into the waist of his pants, hobbling along with a cane. Wren pushed him into the bar and grabbed another person, an ancient lady that could've only been the man's wife.

She ventured further out into the alley, grabbing anyone she could and shoving them towards the Thelma's establishment. Thelma stood at the door, rushing people over the threshold, pushing more people back into the kitchen, trying to fill the area as much as she could.

Wren was part way into the wider street when she heard the moan again. This time it echoed throughout her skull, down her spine, and seemed to reverberate through her bones. She turned and saw it. The Redead.

It was a grotesque caricature of a person: it stood over seven feet tall, it's limbs unnaturally stretched, was wrapped entirely in brown soiled bandages, it's head was totally covered except for a hole where the mouth should've been. Instead, Wren saw a gaping black void with only a few rotten teeth, open in a near perfect circle. The monster shuffled along, somehow seeing and unseeing at the same time, its gait was steady, even though it was slightly hunched.

Behind it stood two Stalfos, their spears and shields at the ready.

 _Fuck!_

 _Back to the bar!_

Wren managed a half turn when she saw the Redead's target, an elderly lady who had somehow managed to fall directly in its path. She was clutching her ankle, a mixture of pure terror and panic on her face.

 _What's with all the old people!_

 _Go save her damn it!_

Wren rushed towards the old lady, not entirely sure how she would move her out of harm's way, she wasn't even armed after all.

From what seemed like miles away, she heard Thelma give a panicked shout, "Wren! No! Don't cross its path!"

But it was too late. Wren was directly in front of the Redead, about ten feet away from it, when it's mouth stretched wider and it gave an unearthly scream. The sound was dreadful, worse than nails on a chalkboard, worse than the final wails of a dying cat, worse than anything Wren had ever heard.

It froze her solid, her bones quaking against her muscles. She wanted to cover her ears, to cry out, do something. The older lady was only a few feet away from her, she could still save her if she could regain her composer. The Redead now had a new target and began shuffling for Wren.

She took a deep breath and let a surge of energy flow through her.

Then something strange happened. Wren was conscience of her body moving, but she wasn't controlling it. She turned around, her back to the lady, faced the Redead, raised her arm, and conjured an incredibly powerful Nayru's Love. The shield bulged from her hand, encircling not only her and the other woman, but the bar and half the alley. It pushed the Redead and the Stalfos back.

Wren focused her energy, caused the shield to pulse, reducing the Redead and the Stalfos to ash. Her arm was not in any pain, and she kept her shield up as she turned to address the woman on the ground.

The voice she heard was not her own, it was deeper, almost ambiguous, "Are you okay?"

"Who-who are you?" The lady's voice caught in her throat. She was still afraid.

Wren knelt down and the woman tried to scoot away, she caught a glimpse of blonde hair out of the corner of her eye, "Who I am is not important. Are you okay?"

The woman very tentatively nodded her head, "My ankle is broken, I tripped, but I will live."

Wren held her hand over the woman's ankle, "May I?"

"May you what?"

"I'm going to heal it. It won't hurt, it's actually quite soothing."

Somewhere, deep within the sanest part of her mind, Wren thought that she wouldn't be able to heal the bones. She was only at cuts in her training after all, and bones were a whole different matter.

And yet, her she was, her hands hovering over the woman's ankle, a warm energy coming off of them. The ankle was mended before Wren knew what she had done.

 _"Wren, you need to go dormant for a while. Let me take control."_

 _"No."_

 _"Tsk, a Goddess through and through. I knew there was a reason I picked you as a vessel."_

Wren stood, she still wasn't in control of her own body, tucked a piece of long blonde hair behind her ear, and helped the woman up.

"Go now to the bar. You will be okay, the danger is gone. Sir Link and Sir Sheik have disposed of the Redead in the square and are on their way back. It seems that I will have to heal Sheik."

The woman hobbled to the bar full of surprised people. Thelma leaned against the doorway, a look of bemused shock on her face. Wren smiled at her and nodded, "I give my thanks to you Thelma for housing my people."

Wren approached the bar, her shield gradually fading, and touched either side of the doorframe. Every person, save for Thelma, pushed themselves away from her.

"I bless this establishment. May it be a home for the weary, may it be a safe house for the scared, may to be a refuge for the beaten, and may it be a hidden headquarters when everything else turns bleak. May its cooks continue to cook excellent food for all their days, and may Thelma always be protected from evil."

A warm golden glow emanated from Wren's hands, worked its way over the doorframe, and settled there for a brief moment before fading.

Thelma could only stare open mouthed at Wren. She finally managed to stutter out a thank you as Wren turned her back. Link and Sheik had returned.

Sheik was in a bad way. He was supported by Link, who himself was sporting an ugly gash down one arm, and seemed to have a large chunk of his shoulder missing. Sheik's head lolled, his chin on his chest, but he was still conscience, somehow managing to take slow steps.

" _Oh no, oh no, oh no. He's going to die! Don't die Sheik, please don't die!"_

 _"It will be okay Wren. I, we, will heal him. Good as new."_

When Link saw Wren, he could only gasp and nearly dropped Sheik in his surprise.

"My Goddess."

Sheik lifted his head and drew a shuttering breath; he was too weak to speak.

"Lay him down Link. I will heal the both of you. How long ago was he bitten?"

"A-about four or five minutes ago, My Grace. The Redead, it somehow got behind him."

Wren knelt, "Please, call me Hylia. It is my true name, the one that has been lost to time." She set to work on Sheik's shoulder, the muscle and skin knitting itself back together. Once he was healed, Wren turned to Link and made quick work out of his arm.

"I have to let my vessel take control now. My presence has been taxing on her. She will probably pass out the second I go dormant."

Wren glanced at the bar, "I, ah, also had an audience. It would be wise for Zelda to address her people as soon as she could. The bar has been blessed as well, it will always be a safe place."

"Wait! Before you go, please, tell us where we can find Din's piece of the Triforce?" Link's words were rushed, for a moment he forgot his manners, "If it pleases you my Goddess, Lady Hylia."

Wren felt herself smiling, "My daughter did hide it well didn't she? It has been lost to the sands of time, hidden away in the desert. Go there, and you will find an ancient temple that not even the Gerudo are aware of. In the heart of the temple is my daughter's piece of the Triforce."

She turned to Sheik, who had remained silent, his eyes staring at the ground in deference, "Gift it to Sheik."

Sheik's head shot up, "Me? Why me? I do not deserve such power."

A wave of empathy washed over Wren, "The Sheikah tribe has done more for the Goddesses than they will ever take credit for. You, above all other Sheikahs, deserve the Triforce. You have risked your life to keep my vessel safe, and, she has taken quite a liking to you."

 _"Ah, why did you have to go and tell him that?"_

 _"Because, other than being entertaining for me, it fulfills his premonition. Besides, it's already painfully obvious you two like each other, why not speed up the process?"_

Sheik went silent so Wren continued on, "Your premonition, as well as Link's, will come to pass. Zelda's will not, thanks to both you and the Forest Sheikah. Keep her safe and train her well.

"And, Sheik, know this. Her nightmares are not premonitions. They are sent by one of Ganondorf's mages. She will continue to have them until she finds a way to close her mind. In her sleep she in vulnerable. No amount of sleeping potions and spells will help her, she must learn how to close her subconscious to the outside.

"I have stayed long enough. Please, catch my vessel before she hits the ground."

And before they knew it, Hylia was gone. Wren collapsed to her knees, a small "whoa" leaving her mouth, her hair fading back to its original auburn, before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she feel into Sheik's waiting arms.

Sheik scooped her up while Link addressed the forming crowd in a booming, regal voice, "Good people of Castle Town. Hear me now! Your Queen will make an official statement on the events of this evening tomorrow. The immediate threat has passed and you may return to your homes. Please keep all rumors and gossip about this evening to a minimum and only report what you truly saw, not exaggerations. You have my thanks for your cooperation."

They moved back to the castle, someone would be sent to collect the horses, leaving whispers in their wake.


	20. Chapter 19

Wren was terrified. She stood on a stone balcony overlooking a courtyard packed with people; Zelda stood to her right while Sheik kept a firm grip on Wren's left hand. Link stood on Zelda's right, his hands folded behind his back. He managed to look proud and Kingly without looking arrogant, while Zelda maintained perfect posture and poise.

They were all dressed to impress. Sheik wore the traditional Sheikah clothing of blue pants, a long sleeve blue shirt, along with a white cloth chest piece with a red eye embossed on the front; his hair had been tucked away in a small pillbox style turban that sat on top of his head, his cowl obscuring everything below his nose.

Next to him, Wren wore a very hastily custom made blue dress. The seamstresses had to alter what was to be her formal gown by tailoring it for today's event and, miraculously, the dress looked wonderful. The dark blue dress had gold trimmed cap style sleeves, and graceful sapphire details woven into the bodice. The corset was kept during the alterations, forcing Wren to stand straight and take shallow breaths. The skirt of the dress was simple and fell to her sandaled feet. Wren's auburn curls had been gracefully pulled back from her face with blue pins while leaving the rest of her hair to flow across her shoulders.

Zelda wore a dress cut in a similar fashion, only using pink cloth. A white apron like garment was attached by a gold chain that ran around Zelda's hips; this bit of detailing ran the length of Zelda's skirt and was embossed with the image of the Triforce as well as the Royal Seal. Zelda wore her hair down, the golden locks falling down to the small of her back, and had a small silver crown on top of her head.

The King was dressed the simplest. He wore tailored brown dress pants, which he tucked into his brown boots, a forest green jerkin with a white undershirt and chainmail underneath, and his small golden crown. However, Link was the only one at the event armed; he carried the Master Sword and his shield on his back, held in place by a brown chest strap. He wore his bracers on his arms as well as his thick leather gloves.

The event in question was Zelda's official introduction of Wren to the townspeople. She had hoped not to make a big to do about this, perhaps introducing Wren slowly by having her present at the Harvest Ball, or possibly having her roam around the city, but that had gone the way of the wayside after last night's events. Zelda hadn't wanted the townspeople to know that Wren was a Goddess, _the_ Goddess in fact, but that, unfortunately, not in the cards anymore either.

She glanced sideways at Wren, who still had an iron grip on Sheik's hand. Farore bless the poor girl, she was trying to put on a brave face in front of all these people. It was a good thing the balcony was paved to their waists', her handholding with Sheik would remain concealed. The last thing Wren needed right now was further alienation by showing her affection towards Sheik.

The previous night had been a long one. Wren, once again, slept walked into Sheik's room, so the two of them hardly got any sleep. Along with the nightmare, Wren was also still exhausted from Hylia's appearance, and the early morning wake up call to get her ready for the morning's events wasn't welcome. Her training would be postponed today to allow her some rest.

Breakfast had been awkward; Wren looked as though she had been sentenced to death when Zelda told her she would be introducing her to the public. She simply nodded her head and gloomily stared into her oatmeal. Sheik eventually got Wren to confess that she had a fear of crowds. Putting her on display like this would not be easy for her, and Zelda wanted to make this as quick and painless as possible.

Zelda raised a gloved hand and spoke, her voice magically magnified by one of Fyn's spells, "Good people of Castle Town and residents of Hyrule, I welcome you to today's announcement. The Goddesses have seen fit to bless us with wonderful weather on this day!"

It was true, the morning was warm and sunny with a very light breeze. The courtyard had been opened to whoever could fit into and the large wooden doors leading into the city had been flung open to allow for more spectators. The courtyard was full of people, and there was a large overflow into the streets beyond the gate. A few Gorons were also present, along with what could only have been Zoras wading in a large water feature. These members of the audience would've had to have already been in Castle Town; there was no way a Goron or a Zora could've traveled such a distance overnight. Zelda sent out messengers shortly after she learned about the events of the previous night, and had spent the rest of her evening preparing a speech.

"The reason I have gathered everyone here today was to discuss the events of last night near Thelma's Bar." A murmur went through the crowd and Zelda waited patiently for their talk to subside.

"It is likely you are all aware of the Redeads and Stalfos that were present in our city last night. Those have been disposed of and our Green Knights are currently doing a sweep of the city for more evil. Rest assured, our city is safe and an investigation is in progress."

Another murmur went through the crowd. The people were uneasy, and it seemed to Wren that they did not trust what Zelda was saying. She couldn't blame them, after all, their city was supposedly fortified against all sorts of evils; how would Redeads and Stalfos have entered the gates?

Zelda raised her hand again and the crowd quieted, "However, most of you may not be aware, or have only heard rumors, of what occurred at Thelma's Bar yesterday evening." Zelda cocked her head slightly towards Wren, "This young lady on my left is the holy vessel for the Goddess Hylia, the lost Goddess, who decided to make an appearance last night in order to destroy the evils plaguing the area."

Silence.

 _Oh oh._

Wren's grip tightened on Sheik's hand. He gently squeezed her hand back and she felt his warmth creep into her head.

" _Silence isn't always a bad thing."_

" _They are uneasy. They don't believe her."_

" _Wait and see. They will have questions after her announcement, that's when the real fun begins. She did just drop a huge bomb on them, perhaps they are just stunned."_

Zelda continued, "This vessel, her name is Wren, has not yet learned to control her powers. The Goddess making an appearance was an anomaly and done out of necessity. She was forced out of her vessel in order to save lives.

"However, Wren will continue her training and will soon be in full control of her powers. Some of you witnessed the Goddess's awesome healing power, a power that comes naturally to Wren. The Goddess also produced a shield, Nayru's Love, which does not come as naturally to her vessel."

This last proclamation brought grumbles from the crowd. A vessel that could not control her powers was a threat.

" _They don't trust me either."_

" _No, no they don't."_

" _Thanks Captain Reassurance!"_

" _We can build trust, it will be okay."_

"While Wren lives in the castle with us I expect her to receive the same kindness and curtesy myself, King Link, and Sir Sheik receive. She will be present in the city, and you may see her training on our grounds or in Hyrule Field. I expect kindness and civility towards her."

 _Oh, please Zelda, announce that I don't want to be treated like a Goddess. Please, please, please!_

"However, she does not expect to be treated like Lady Hylia. She is her vessel, not the Goddess. The Goddess will show herself when she sees fit and simply resides in Wren. You do not have to address Wren as 'Your Grace' or any similar terms. 'Lady Wren' will suffice."

 _Oh thank Farore._

" _Zelda's not an idiot. She has your best interest in mind. Notice how she's left out the bit about the Triforce, both the fourth piece and Din's piece? She's also excluding any talk about Ganondorf for good reason."_

" _The people will be curious how Redeads and Stalfos got into the city."_

" _If they ask, she will answer them as truthfully as she sees fit."_

"I will now answer any questions you may have."

The crowd erupted, each person shouting their own question over the person next to them.

Zelda raised a hand for silence again and pointed to a random person, "You, you are with the press are you not? I will answer your question first."

A young woman with pale pink hair stepped forward. She held a pen and a pad of paper and looked rather nervous to be addressing the Royal Family directly.

"My Queen. I am Margaux, new hire at the Hyrule Gazette. I was just wondering if you could tell us more about the Redeads and Stalfos that were in the city? How did they get beyond the walls? Does this mean there is a greater evil lurking? Where they sent here by someone?"

Zelda smiled down at her, "I am, unfortunately, unable to address those questions. As I stated before, there is a currently an ongoing investigation regarding how they got into the city. I do believe people should stay alert, but do not worry about arming yourselves. Our guard and standing army is perfectly capable. I will not rule out the possibility of a larger evil, but only as a precaution."

" _See, she doesn't want to instill fear into her people. She's aiming for calmness."_

" _But the people should know…"_

" _Not yet. Ganondorf may never come to the city. There is no need to make the people fearful if there is nothing to fear."_

"I will take my second question from another member of the press. You" Zelda pointed at a man wearing a strange sort of hat decorated with beads and feathers, "I will take your question."

The man stepped forward, unlike Margaux, he walked with confidence, "My Lady. I am Strom with the Castle Town Times. My question is about the vessel. How can you be sure she is truly a Goddess and not evil in disguise? How will you ensure her power stays in check and doesn't destroy the whole city?"

" _Ouch…"_

" _He's trying to get a rise out of Zelda while asking what he feels is a valid question. Remember, they don't know you."_

It took Zelda longer to calm the crowd this time. Many shouts of agreement went up at Strom's words, while a handful of people argued back.

" _They are against me."_

" _Not all of them."_

"You have my word, as well as the word of about two dozen witnesses, that she is the Goddess's vessel. She has worked no evil since she has been here, nor do I believe she ever will. As a vessel, she is unable to even access the majority of the Goddess's powers. During her training, she will only be able to access a portion of the Goddess's powers, powers which she will have full control over."

Strom looked like he could've asked more questions, but a familiar face had pushed herself toward the front of the crowd. Thelma stood before the Royal Family and spoke, "My Queen, if it is permissible, may I give a personal testimony to the crowd."

"I will allow it Thelma. Please, tell them of what you saw last evening. I will allow others that were present to come forward as well."

Thelma nodded and began, "Last night, when we first heard the Redeads, Sir Link and Sir Sheik quickly exited the bar to dispose of the problem, leaving Lady Wren behind in relative safety. When she heard the Redead on our street, along with the people fleeing for their lives', she leapt into action and began to push whomever she could reach into my bar."

The crowd was silent now, staring at both Thelma and Wren.

Thelma spoke with confidence, "That's when she saw an older woman in the street, tripped up and nursing a broken ankle. She directly crossed the Redead's path, froze for the briefest moment when it shrieked at her, and then transformed. Her hair turned gold and grew several more inches down her back and the sheer power coming off of her was amazing. I was so shocked that I could only stand in the open door with my mouth open.

"When Wren, Her Grace Hylia at this point I guess, faced the Redead and Stalfos that had joined him, she gave forth this awesome power, pushed them back, and disintegrated them."

An older voice shouted out, "She healed me!"

The same woman from last night hobbled forward, her gait unsteady with age, "I am Nan Gertrude, and I can attest that everything Thelma has said so far is the truth. The Goddess Hylia healed me last night, but her vessel made the attempt to save me first."

Thelma continued, "She then went on to bless my bar and healed Sir Link and Sir Sheik as soon as they arrived. Sir Sheik was close to death, his neck and shoulder had been torn apart by a Redead, and yet, here he stands before us this morning!"

Shouts of agreement went into the air, "It's true, I saw it! I was there!"

"I work as a cook in Thelma's bar, and everything she has said is the truth!"

"I swear it on my life, the Goddess, well her vessel I guess, saved me from certain death last night!"

" _Well, that's good that I left witnesses."_

" _Very. I doubt people would be so receptive of you should the Goddess not have made such a dramatic appearance before a crowded tavern."_

Zelda clapped her hands for silence, "If there is no more questions, we will take our leave. Please exit the courtyard in an orderly fashion."

They turned and entered the castle, Wren retreating to her quarters immediately, Sheik following behind. Link and Zelda would spend the rest of the day at Court, with their advisors, and visiting with the White Knights.

* * *

The first thing Wren did, after she changed into more comfortable clothes of course, was retreat to the library. She had yet to write to Sha'Lyn, her days had been far too busy up to this point, and now that the Goddess had made an appearance, she figured it was high time to contact her first guardian.

The library was abandoned, save for Master Gaepora, who left her to her own devices. Wren plunked herself down at a large desk near a massive window, and began to write.

But she didn't know where to start.

Piles of paper quickly formed around the desk and her feet until she finally settled on a somewhat disjointed letter:

 _Dear Sha'Lyn,_

 _I know I promised to write as soon as possible, but, well, between training with everyone and periodically being attacked by monsters, I haven't really had the time. It turns out someone really wants me either captured or dead. It's getting incredibly old really._

 _You might have already heard that the Goddess inside me made an appearance last night. It was really weird, and a bit disconcerting. She took over my body, I couldn't move, but I could see everything she was doing. I guess I am just her vessel, but still. Her power is awesome Sha'Lyn! I, she I guess, summoned an incredibly powerful Nayru's Love and healed both an older woman's broken ankle and a massive gouge in Sheik's neck. She exhausts me though, and I passed out right after she went dormant again._

 _I met my first Gerudo the other day. She was… interesting. Sheik didn't like her, and I don't think Link cared for her much either. Zelda only tolerated her because she wanted to reestablish trade and keep the Gerudo on our side._

 _My, not the Goddess's, healing abilities are getting stronger! You'd be so proud! I can heal other people now, well, at least I can heal small cuts. Link's planning on training me in weaponry and Sheik has taught me how to use telepathy. He and I spent an entire afternoon in each other's heads. He's also going to teach me how to play the harp and in the art of stealth._

 _I got my own horse the other day too! I named him Tempest, and apparently before I rode him, he hadn't been broken. He's a beauty of a horse!_

 _I've been having a lot of nightmares lately too, almost every night. They cause me to sleep walk into Sheik's room. It's awful, I haven't had a good night's sleep since I got here, but once I'm with Sheik I calm down enough to sleep for the rest of the night._

 _If you can't tell yet, Sheik and I have developed a bit of a relationship. Apparently he had a premonition about me, and the Goddess felt the need to tell him about my little crush on him last night. It's obvious though by now… he's been with me everywhere, I sleep in the same room as him, and he held me steady during my introduction today. It's moving slow though, and I'm okay with that, I've only known him for a couple of days. He's still a mystery to me, but I guess that's all part of the Sheikah isn't it._

 _I'll let you know if I need any animals to sacrifice for him. You could set me up in a nice clearing in the woods too._

 _Hope to see you again,_

 _Wren._

She sealed and addressed the letter and handed it to Gaepora for mailing. After cleaning up her mess of paper, she retreated back to her chambers for a midmorning nap.

* * *

A gentle tapping woke Wren out of her light nap. Sheik entered her room; he had changed clothes as well, opting for lose brown pants and a navy tunic top. His cowl sat on his shoulders obscuring his mouth, but his shaggy hair fell free.

"Up to some lunch? Zelda and Link are eating in the kitchen."

Wren sat up and nodded. Her breakfast had consisted of one apple, and she was in need of some real food. Her hair had fallen loose after sleeping on it; she discarded the pins, ran her fingers through it, and let it fall where it wanted to.

"What do you say we go riding after lunch? It would do you and Tempest some good to get used to each other."

"Yeah, I'd like that. Get me out of the castle for a little bit, out of the city too. Can I assume there's a saddle ready for me?"

"Mmmhhhmm, you match Zelda close enough that you can just use one of her spare saddles."

"Good, sounds like a plan."

Lunch was a short affair. Link and Zelda had to eat very quickly, nearly inhaling their food, since they had to be back at Court shortly. Zelda briefly filled them in on the people's overall reception to Wren. According to the Courtesans, the majority of the townspeople accepted what Zelda and Thelma had to say this morning, with only a few pockets disagreeing.

Link's knights also seemed to agree with Thelma and their Queen. It didn't hurt that Wren had already been present in the castle and a few of them had caught glimpses of her training with Link. Aeron's testimony of her first day here had also spread through the ranks; Wren was seen more as a selfless savior than someone untrustworthy.

Sheik grabbed a small cloth pouch off of a hook, stuffed it with apples, bread, and a handful of nuts. He also filled two canteens full of cold water, handing one to Wren, and they were off to the stables.

* * *

Sheik and Wren rode.

And rode.

And rode.

Soon the city was lost in the distance, and they found themselves on the edge of the massive forest.

Tempest carried Wren like he had been trained for her his entire life, while Ides kept pace beside them.

Wren was elated. The cool breeze on her face, her hair flowing behind her, Tempest's gentle, but quick, pace, Sheik riding beside her, stiff and straight in the saddle, his bow and arrows attached to the saddle, all put her mind at ease.

 _I needed this. I needed to be out of the castle._

"How about we stop here! We need to rest the horses for a bit!" Sheik's voice was carried to her by the wind. She agreed and very gently pulled back on Tempest's reins, urging the horse to slow and stop.

She dismounted, batting Sheik's hands away, insisting she do it on her own, and allowed Tempest to wander over into the shade to graze.

"You sure you've never been on a horse?"

"Not one that wasn't led by someone else. It's cool isn't it! Tempest took right to me. It's like he knows what I'm thinking before I do it, I barely have to prompt him."

They were sitting, backs against a large oak tree, facing the field. Ides had wandered over to Tempest to get out of the sun.

"That's good. Like Malon said, the horses pick the master. Tempest took a liking to you right away, and he will be your horse, and only your horse, from here on out."

They sat in silence for a while; Sheik eventually worked up the nerve to take Wren's hand and pull her closer. She leaned against his side, her head resting on his shoulder. The midafternoon sun gently warmed the shadows and as a breeze blew through the grass.

"You know. I wonder what it would be like if I was never brought here. Do you think Ganondorf would've still shown up?"

"Probably. It was Ganondorf that likely brought you here originally, your path was just diverted by the Goddess. He would've still made an appearance, but he wouldn't have been so Hell bent on capturing you. You were part of his plan, and when that fell through, well, now he has to think of something else."

"Do you think he would've gotten the Triforce of Power by now?"

Sheik shook his head, "Doubtful. We didn't even know where it was until Lady Hylia told us last night."

"I'm going to give it to you , you know that right? Once we find it, it's yours."

He shifted, moving his arm behind Wren, allowing her to nuzzle further into his side. He was strong, Wren could feel his muscles through his tunic, and always steady. He smelled like a mixture of horse, sweat, and something more fragrant, like soap or shampoo.

"After the last war, Din swore that no mortal hands would ever touch her Triforce again. Ganondorf used it for such evil that she decided no mortal was worthy."

Wren smirked, "I'm Hylia's vessel, and Hylia told Link to gift it to you. I don't really think Din has a say in it."

Sheik scoffed, "Look at you being all Godly. Just a few days ago you admonished anyone who addressed you as 'Goddess.' Now, here you are, willing to tell off another Goddess to get your way."

She could only shrug into Sheik's side, "What can I say, I'm adapting quickly. Besides, if anyone deserves the Triforce of Power, it's you. Not because of what you will do with it, but because of what you won't do with it. Plus, having all four of us with pieces of the Triforce will probably come in handy someday."

"That's if we can find it."

"We'll find it. I mean, how hard could it be to find a lost temple in the middle of the desert? It will probably just take us an afternoon at the most."

Sheik laughed, "Not to mention finding a way through the temple, if we can find our way inside it that is."

"Okay, maybe one full day. But no more than that."

Another short silence, the rustling of the trees and grass the only sound disrupting the afternoon. Ides and Tempest had wandered a short way away and nested down under a few large trees; the horses wouldn't run or stray without them."

"Hey, Sheik, can I tell you something? You have to promise not to laugh or make it weird."

"Okay."

"I, well, I am really glad that you're here. You know what I mean? I mean, without you, I would've been so lost these last couple of days. It's nice to have someone here for me. The fact that you've done nothing but protect me, it makes me feel safe."

Sheik shifted again and Wren thought he was leaving. She was mentally beating herself up when she felt a pair of soft lips on her forehead. Out of reflex, she closed her eyes and let Sheik linger on her forehead, leave a soft peck on the tip of her nose, and then very gently kiss her lips. He wasn't rushed, wasn't forcing her to kiss back, and remained steady.

Finally Wren moved, she returned the kiss, and moved her arms behind Sheik to embrace him. They stayed locked like that, exploring each other's mouths for a small time before Sheik pulled back.

"You can open your eyes Wren, it's okay."

She did and saw Sheik's face in full for the first time. He was incredibly handsome; he had a strong jaw that held no hint of stubble, and a nose with a small disfigurement on the bridge from being broken at some point in his life. His face had a youthful quality, but his eyes were those of someone wise beyond their years. Wren could finally appreciate in full the affect his red eyes had on the rest of his face; they were striking, and perfectly framed by his wheat blonde hair. His skin was pale, but not grotesquely so, from the lack of sunlight.

She ran her hand through his hair, tucking it behind a curved ear, "You know, you probably don't hear this enough, but you are incredibly easy on the eyes."

"So are you. You do realize the gravity of the situation correct? Sheikahs don't show their faces to everyone and anyone."

Wren nodded, "Sha'Lyn told me it her tribe only did it when they were sure they loved a person. They only showed their faces to those who they would spend the rest of their life with."

"It's similar in my tribe, but, surprisingly, not quite as extreme. Zelda and Link have both seen me without my cowl. I only show those I trust my face. We share our names with those who we plan to spend the rest of our lives with. No living person knows my birth name."

"Well, I'm glad you trust me."

"I wouldn't allow you in my head if I didn't."

She leaned forward again and kissed him, gently at first and then with more urgency. Wren opened her lips and allowed Sheik's tongue into her mouth, and she repeated the action back to him.

They broke the kiss after a short time, nuzzling back to their previous position against the tree.

"Hey Sheik, do you think I could just stay with you tonight? It seems sort of pointless to try to sleep in my own room. Maybe sleeping next to you will help with the nightmares."

Sheik nodded, "Yes, we can do that. Just, whatever you do, don't tell Link, I think his head would explode."

"You know, for a King, he really can be immature."

"It's because of how he has to act at Court and with his knights. He's still a kid at heart and rarely gets the chance to joke around. Plus, there's probably not going to be much to joke about in the near future… it's good to have someone like him around. But, seriously, don't tell him that we are sharing a bed."

"Like I would've anyway. 'Oh, Hey, Link, by the way, your best friend and I are sleeping together!' You're right, his head would explode."

* * *

That evening's supper was a short affair, Sheik and Wren had filled up on snacks during the afternoon and barely ate, while Zelda and Link decided the next course of action. Link had already sent a small squadron of his knights to explore and patrol the desert, they would likely return by the end of the week, and Zelda decided against formally introducing Wren to the court until the Harvest Ball rolled around.

"Besides, you already know three members: Gaepora, Fyn and Horwell. That will suffice for the time being. They all got a good glimpse of you this morning anyway, that will have to tide them over."

Wren would spend tomorrow morning with Zelda working on her healing abilities, and would spend the afternoon with Link since she missed out on boomerang training today. The following day would be spent with Sheik all day; the morning would consist of telepathy training while the afternoon would be spent on stealth.

Once dinner was adjourned, Wren wandered to her chambers, changed into her pajamas, grabbed her book and met Sheik in his room. He had already changed; his shirt and boots were shucked off, his day pants replaced with soft night pants, and his cowl was gone. He made a stunning picture leaning against the wall, idly strumming his harp, his pants riding low and loose on his hips.

He stopped strumming, placed his harp on his desk, and invited Wren in.

They spent the rest of the time before bed idly chatting and reading Wren's book, Sheik filling Wren in on a passage here and there. He would occasionally rise off the bed, strum a few songs on his harp, and then return.

"Nervous?"

A soft smile lit up his features, "Now, why would you say that?"

"Something Link told me. You only play your harp idly when you are nervous, or trying to calm your mind."

Sheik chuckled and shook his head, "You know, that man really does have me figured out. A Sheikah is supposed to be mysterious, but Link caught on to my habits and nervous ticks rather quickly. Yes, I suppose I am a bit nervous."

"Good, I'm not the only one. Come here, sit next to me for a bit."

Wren scooted over on the bed to make room for Sheik. Once he was under the covers next to her, she reclined back, her ear resting over his heart, head under his chin.

Sheik's masculine tones vibrated in his chest and into Wren's ear, "Why are you nervous? We shared a very intimate afternoon after all. And besides, you have the upper hand here. You are at a distinct advantage seeing my face."

Wren shook her head, "It's not about that. And stop thinking one of us has the advantage over the other. You're right, we did spend quite an afternoon together, but that doesn't change the fact that I am still sleeping with you. It's different than the last few nights, you know what I mean?"

Sheik nodded and planted a soft kiss into Wren's hair, "Yes, I understand you. We are moving rather quickly—"

"No, quickly would be if we fucked tonight."

Sheik snorted and continued on, "We are moving rather quickly for Sheikah standards, as well as traditional Hylian standards. Usually there are several weeks of courting before a couple shares a bed. For me to reveal myself so early on is considered foolish by traditional Sheikah norms."

Wren yawned, Sheik's heartbeat and voice were incredibly soothing and she was beginning to nod off, "You know what, screw 'em. We can make our own rules. We will move at our own pace and to Hell what other people think."

"Yeah, screw 'em." Sheik reclined back, gently shifting the both of them into a more comfortable sleeping position, and the pair was soon asleep.

The nightmares started shortly after Sheik entered his deep sleep; he was awakened by Wren, who was thrashing about beside him, her gagging and scratching only beginning.

He acted without thinking and slowly entered her mind, the usual taste of sweet cherries replaced with sourness.

No wonder Wren couldn't remember her dreams; they weren't really dreams at all, more like a dark Hell scape full of hopelessness and sorrow. Sheik was immediately overwhelmed with feelings of grief, doubt, emptiness, terror, and uncertainty. There were no images in Wren's head, only intense feelings of anguish.

There was something else though, a very small glimmer of light, almost impossible to detect amongst such heavy darkness. Wren's mind still had a small glimmer of hope, and it was doing everything to calm her down and not be extinguished.

Sheik latched on to his and began to speak inside of Wren's head, trying to calm her down. The light pulsed and grew and the darkness abated. Sheik withdrew from her mind to find a calm Wren snuggled into the sheets next to him.

He smoothed her hair back, planted a soft kiss on her temple, and allowed himself to fall asleep for a second time that night. This time, he would be woken up by the early morning light instead of Wren's nightmare.


	21. Chapter 20

AN: I waffled around a lot with this chapter, and after some internal debate, decided not to include the Harvest Ball and make that it's own chapter. So, this chapter is short, but had I added the Harvest Ball, it would've probably ended up around 15-20 pages long.

* * *

The following two weeks were a flurry of activity. Wren took to the boomerang very quickly causing Link to decide to move on to other weapons, her training with Zelda was going well enough for the Queen to move the lessons towards summoning a proper Nayru's Love, and Sheik's telepathy and stealth lessons were moving slow but steady.

Like Sheik promised, these lessons were incredibly painful, worse than any training with Link and Zelda. Wren often left the lesson in tears due to the splitting headaches brought on by trying to force Sheik out of her head. More than once she had to be led over to her bed, a vomit pail by her side; it took two lessons for them to learn that they should do her training after Wren ate only a small breakfast.

Wren had been fitted for two half swords, smaller and lighter than a single sword, but designed to be used in tandem. She wouldn't be able to carry a shield, but when welded properly, the swords could provide enough coverage to ensure safety. She carried these crossed across her back and was currently working on swiftly unsheathing them as well as basic sword play.

Link and Sheik also made sure she was fitted with a utility belt. The wide, brown, leather garment hugged her hips and had several pouches and straps built into it. Wren could now store anything from bottles of potion, to her throwing knives, to a boomerang in a sling that hung loosely around her outer thigh. Her chainmail was also ready; the semi-heavy linked armor had been incorporated into her daily life to help condition her muscles. She wore it everywhere, and at night she found herself soaking in her tub, the warm water soothing her sore muscles.

Sha'Lyn had responded to Wren's letter. She assured her that she would be at the Harvest Ball and was quite thrilled that Wren had developed such a relationship with Sheik. She briefly wrote on more Bokoblins in the forest, but the focus of the letter was primarily on how proud she was of "her Goddess."

Sheik and Wren remained on a courting status. They still shared a bed, but not intimately, and they had done nothing more than kiss. This was a mutual agreement; they would move the relationship along after they felt comfortable enough with each other to do so. Until then, they would continue to court and get to know each other. Wren's nightmares had yet to abate, but they were easier for Sheik to control. He barely had to tap into Wren's subconscious to calm her down, the small light becoming easier and easier to find. Sheik could simply roll over, half awake, and enter Wren's mind to sooth her.

The knights had returned from their trek to the desert with bad news. They were unable to find the temple and the Gerudo's were less than welcoming to them. They were not hostile towards the men, but they wouldn't allow them to stay in their city. The knights were forced to camp outside of the walls in the elements. They returned to their King rather disheartened, and it was up to Link to bring morale back to his men.

The leaves on the trees had begun to turn from green to orange, the apples in the castle's orchards were ripe and nearly falling off the branches, and the farmers working their crops in Hyrule Field were bringing in their harvests for various vendors. It was Wren's favorite time of year; she could spend the majority of her time outdoors and the cool fall air brought a refreshing change to the usually warm training sessions.

Wren didn't have to go far to find a snack since the orchards and vineyards were bringing in apples, pears, and grapes by the barrel full; all of which were being turned into pies and other sweet treats by Henrietta and her kitchen staff. Pumpkins and other squash were also brought in to be turned into both sweet and savory dishes, as well as onions and turnips. Link even took out a small hunting party early one morning and returned with bags full of various fowl and two large bucks. These were processed into full meals for the knights and their families.

Castle Town was in a state of pleasant mania. The vendors had carts stocked full of various goods, people hustled and bustled back and forth to ensure they got the best deal on their purchases. Whatever was left when the day was done was donated to a local food pantry; Castle Town, as well as the majority of Hyrule, didn't have a poverty and unemployment problem, but it did have a large elderly population. Cooks and vendors would team up to ensure that Castle Town's elderly residence got a fresh, home cooked meal delivered to their doorstep each night, along with any groceries requested.

People were also preparing for winter. Hats, scarves, coats, and other heavy clothing were featured in many stores. Various persevering supplies also flew off the shelves; many home cooks were busy preserving whatever they could into glass jars, larders, root cellars, and ice chests.

The city erupted when Zelda sent out messengers announcing the annual Harvest Festival and Ball. Only a select few farmers would be invited to the Ball itself, along with dignitaries from outlying tribes, members of the court and their families, and the various Dukes that ran their own Duchies in the different regions of Hyrule. A carnival would be held for the citizens of Castle Town; games, entertainment, food and drink, along with random prizes were all planned.

Every member of the Royal Family was fitted for appropriate clothing for the occasion. Both Wren and Zelda would wear gowns in the appropriate color for the season, with Wren's gown allowing room for her to show off her swords (something Link insisted on and Zelda begrudgingly agreed to), and Link and Sheik were fitted for new tunics. Both of the men would wear chainmail under their tunics, guards on their heavy gloves, and their combat boots. Link would be armed with the Master Sword while Sheik would carry his sword, which Wren had never seen him carry, on his hip. Wren quickly gathered that this Ball was just as much about the Royals showing off their prowess as it was for merriment.

Early arrivals started to show up at the castle shortly after the invites had been sent. According to Sheik, this was typical, even though the Ball wasn't for three more days.

"Why though? What's the point of showing up so early?"

Sheik was escorting Wren to the training arena, a few early guests had gathered nearby to observe the knights and Link.

"They are here to show off just as much as we are. By showing up so early, they are hoping to gain favor with Zelda even though they don't really need to. Plus, some of the Earls and Dukes, the younger ones in particular, are hoping to get some insight from Link. Sheikah dignitaries will arrive soon, and they will want the same thing from me. They hang around the training arena all day to catch Link's attention."

"I don't want an audience when I'm training. The last thing I need is to make a fool of myself with weapons."

They were at the arena and Link was jogging across the training field to meet them. He was sweaty from the morning's exercises with his knights, but still energetic enough for a full afternoon with Wren.

Sheik continued on, "I can try to scare them away if you want."

"Would that be considered rude though? I don't want to offend anyone."

"No, no, not at all." Sheik turned and faced the growing crowd that was migrating towards the arena, "The Vessel has requested privacy in her training with the King. Please, find something else to occupy your time."

A few people grumbled, shrugged their shoulders, and moved away, while others stood their ground. Wren saw more than one person with the audacity to sneer at Sheik.

Wren no longer needed to touch Sheik to speak in his mind; she let the familiar warmth and his strong autumn taste flow through her, _"Well, that could've gone better."_

" _Yes. I see most of them still don't respect me. That's a shame really."_

" _Anything we can do about it?"_

" _Not without ruffling more than a few feathers. It's not worth it, we could lose allies."_

" _So we just have to let them be rude to you?"_

" _Pretty much."_

" _Fuck that!"_

" _Wren! No!"_

Before Wren could open her mouth to admonish what remained of the crowd, Link appeared, "Hey, you heard him! Sir Sheik is requesting privacy on behalf of the Holy Vessel. Go find something else to do! I will train with you when I see fit!"

Link's words and tone sent a visible tremor through the small group, who scattered in the most dignified manner possible.

He turned to Wren, "Alright, let's polish those sword skills."

* * *

Like Sheik promised, a small emissary of Sheikah diplomats arrived two days before the Ball. They took up the majority of Sheik's time, much to Wren's chagrin, spending their time between the library and the training ground with him. At least with this bunch, Sheik's rank was respected; the Sheikah he was training with were of importance in their tribes, but Sheik was still ranked above them. Wren was reminded of awkward first visit between Sha'Lyn, Sheik, and herself. Sheik carried himself with unmet poise around these half dozen people, and they all treated him with reverence.

These six Sheikah were all garbed differently. Two wore outfits designed for the desert or perhaps a volcanic region: light silken pants, loose tops, sandals, and their lower faces were covered by a handkerchief like garment that tied behind their head. Their hair had been shorn close to their scalps, making it difficult to discern male from female, and their skin was incredibly tanned from their time spent in the sun.

Another two arrived wearing heavy furs and boots designed for the cold and snow. They quickly changed their garb once they arrived the castle, but their dress still remained modest and they never took off their heavy boots. They wore white from head to toe; even their hair was white, bleached by the intense sunlight, and their faces were ruddy and wind beaten. This tribe opted to wear heavy goggles over their eyes; a practical disguise for life high in the mountains where sun light glared off of the snow, the fog colored tint of the lenses allowed the Sheikah to see and remain masked at the same time.

The final two dressed in complete opposite as the mountain Sheikah in tight fitting black clothing. They were an enigma to Wren. She couldn't place where exactly this tribe would have come from, only that they did their dealings in the dark. Their hair, what little could be seen from under their wraps, had been dyed black, and everything but their eyes were obscured by their cowls. They had the same red eyes as the other Sheikah, but they seemed far more intense, almost like they were judging everything around them. These two followed Sheik the closest, walking beside him instead of behind him.

Naturally, each tribal dignitary was armed with his or her own special weapons. The desert Sheikah held specialized in spears, while the mountain Sheikah used chains and pick axes. The black Sheikah held no visible weapons, but Wren wasn't stupid enough to believe they were unarmed. Perhaps they specialized in magic? Or, more likely, they were experts in concealed weapons and hand to hand combat.

Either way, they took up all of Sheik's time, and because Zelda was preparing for the Ball, Wren spent most of the day with Link. She would have the following day to herself since Link was unable to worm his way out of entertaining the new arrivals.

She spent this day off between a solo training session made up mostly of calisthenics and weights, sitting alone in her room for an hour or two trying to summon a proper Nayru's Love (the one she produced was small, but it didn't burn her hand), and browsing the library to find a book to take to the orchard for some alone time. She settled on a collection of fairy tales, some literal fairy tales, but most of them stories designed for children.

Wren entered the orchard unnoticed; the workers were all busy with harvest or tending to the trees in one way or another. She found a secluded spot in a shaded grove, settled under a tree, and cracked open her book.

"I see The Guardian hasn't trained you very well if you aren't always alert."

Wren jumped, the book falling from her hands, instinctively reaching for one of the knives on her belt. The speaker, one of the black Sheikah, came out of nowhere; it seemed he (she?) materialized from the shadows. The voice was the true definition of androgynous, too deep to be feminine, but not low enough to be male.

"Ah, but he did manage to get some reflexes in you."

The Sheikah stood behind the tree Wren had been resting against, a bored hunch in his shoulders; he was taller than Wren by about a head, and entirely far too intimidating.

She stood, hand still near her belt, "Well, I don't usually expect to get attacked in the castle's orchards. I'll make sure to keep an eye open for wayward Sheikah's next time."

The Sheikah circled around the tree, placing Wren between him and it.

Finally, he broke the silence, "You should. I've been watching you all day, from the training arena, to the library, to here. You are incredibly easy to stalk. Far too unaware of your own surroundings. Weaker than I imagined too, I had an image of you all built up in my head as some ferocious Goddess but I find…. You."

Wren clenched her teeth, he was purposely trying to get a rise out of her, and she wouldn't let that happen, "Aren't you supposed to be with Sheik right now?"

 _Just what exactly is this guy's deal?_

"The Guardian? He won't know that I'm missing, he's too busy with the Desert and Mountain Sheiks to notice a missing Shadow Sheikah."

"You seriously don't think he can count to six? He knows your missing. Perhaps you're just not worth his time."

That struck a chord. The Sheikah took a step closer to Wren, causing her to tense, ready to flee or fight at a moment's notice.

 _I could slash at him and run like Hell._

 _No, too risky, besides he could dodge it._

 _Well you can't just sit here and chat with him all day._

 _Then just run, or dismiss yourself._

 _And let him follow me?_

 _Yes, straight to Sheik._

 _It's better than being alone with him._

"Believe me when I say this, I am worth his time. The Royals depend on the Shadow Sheikah to get rid of monsters you wouldn't even imagine in your darkest dreams. Trust me, a Guardian Sheikah would be nothing without the Shadow Sheikah."

"I don't believe that for a second. Not the bit about your job, I don't really care about that, but the last part about him being nothing without you. The fact that he hasn't come to hunt you down yet is proof enough. Or, perhaps he doesn't care. Who knows, he could think you aren't worth teaching."

She barely saw his arm twitch, hardly felt the throwing knife swish past her ear, and only registered what had happened by the dull thud from the knife into the tree behind her.

His next words were measured, patient, but also cold, "Remember, just because you are a Goddess's vessel, that does not make you immortal. Watch who you backtalk. Your devotion to The Guardian is admirable, but you are also weak, and easy to kill."

Wren had drawn one of her own knives without realizing it, the cool blade felt wonderfully heavy in her hand, "Then watch who you stalk. And, next time, start with something nice instead of insulting me."

She turned and grabbed the knife out of the tree; it was a beautiful weapon with spiraled designs forged into the handle, which would make it far easier to Sheik to identify.

"And I will be keeping this. Goodbye."

She turned and made it part way out of the grove, her steps were quick as she worked her way towards a bundle of workers, following them out of the orchard and into the common courtyard.

Sheik was, thankfully, working with the five other Sheikah nearby in the training arena. She got as close as she dared and before sending out her frequency to him.

" _We need to talk."_

" _When?"_

" _As soon as possible."_

" _Something is troubling you—"_

" _You're damn right something is troubling me. We will talk about it when you can. Until then, I am going to stick around."_

She caught sight of the Shadow Sheikah out of the corner of her eye. He was arrogantly leaning against one of the castle's walls, giving her an appraising look. He had quietly followed her; she hadn't even noticed him, she was in such a hurry to find Sheik.

" _Sooner would be better than later."_

Sheik immediately stopped his lesson, much to the confusion of his trainees, and dismissed them for the remainder of the day.

He exited the training arena and faced Wren, "What's wrong?"

Wren barely tilted her head toward the Shadow Sheikah and spoke in Sheik's head, _"Him. He apparently followed me around all day and then ambushed me in the orchards. After insulting me for a bit he decided it was best to attack me."_

Sheik tossed the Shadow Sheikah a quick look and faced Wren, _"Walk with me."_

He laced his bandaged fingers through hers and walked directly past the Shadow Sheikah, whose eyes widened slightly at the sight of the two before him, and into the castle.

Once they were in Sheik's room with the door closed and locked behind them, Sheik sat Wren down on the bed and perched himself next to her.

"I need you to tell me everything that happened. What exactly did he say? What did he do?"

"Well, for starters, he chucked this at my head." Wren took the dagger off of her belt and handed it to Sheik, "He was aiming to miss, but as a scare tactic, it was pretty damn effective."

Sheik examined the handle of the blade while Wren told him what had transpired.

When she was done, Sheik placed the blade on the bedside table, removed his cowl, and gently kissed her.

"He showed you that he could easily kill you and then threatened to do so. Fairly typical aggression really, especially for his tribe. The fact that he followed you around is more than concerning, and the very idea that I wouldn't notice him missing is laughable. I figured he had other affairs to attend to, and let him be."

Wren rested her head on Sheik's shoulder, "Who is he anyway?"

"He is the leader of the Shadow Sheikah."

"Know his name?"

Sheik shook his head.

"Of course not… any way we can get him out of the castle before tomorrow?"

"Probably not. The Shadow Sheikah are our chief monster and ghost hunters, and they also get to deal with the less than savory underbelly of Hyrule. They keep the peace amongst those who want to live as outsiders. It's a pretty thankless, and incredibly dangerous, job. They have to hunt down and dispose of angry Poes as well as any other vengeful spirit that happens to be roaming around."

"Great. So he sticks around."

Sheik reclined onto the bed, pulling Wren with him to nestle into his side, "Just stay close to me during the Ball. Sha'Lyn should be there as well, and her tribe is already weary of the Shadow Sheikah. Lots of bad blood there so she will be on her guard."

"Oh?"

"The Shadow Sheikah have reign over almost all of Hyrule, basically, they can take over an area and use it as they see fit; they have to have this right for their job, but that doesn't mean they don't sometimes abuse that power. Whenever they are in the forest, they tend to treat the Sheikah there as inferiors by ignoring their advice and treating them like servants instead of Sheiks. The Forest Sheikah tolerate it since they don't have to see them much, but they also don't go out of their way to ask for help from the Shadow Sheikah."

"Anything else I should know about him?"

"He is skilled in telepathy, it's one of the first things the Shadow Sheikah train for. He might try to get into your head to see just what he can find. If he does that, you send a message to me right away and fill your head with the nonsense I taught you."

"That's good to know."

Wren's eyes were starting to get heavy, she was exhausted from a mix of her lack of sleep and the day's events. She turned onto her side, tangled her leg with Sheik's, rested her arm on his chest and placed her head over his clavicle.

"I need a nap."

"Sleep then, I'm obviously not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

Sheik chuckled, "You know, that's probably the third or fourth time you've made me promise not to leave before you fell asleep."

"Hmm, I guess so. Not gonna stop by the way. I like knowing you're here. It's nice."

Sheik stayed silent as Wren nodded off.

His premonition would come true eventually, and he would tell her his name.

But, for now, he just wanted to let her sleep, her face serene, and her breath steady. The Ball would take place the following evening, and, especially after today's events, he would have to remain on his top guard.


	22. Chapter 21

AN: So, we have one long chapter here, the longest one I've written for this story thus far actually, followed by an incredibly short, but important, chapter. Chapter 21 was so much for me to write, I just kept going and going and going with it and it eventually warped into something much more than previously intended. I originally wanted these two chapters to be combined into one big chapter, but, seriously, no. It would've been far too long.

And guys and gals, I am so, so, so thankful that you are all reading my story. Seriously, thanks.

* * *

"And now presenting, the Top Knight of the Realm, Royal Body Guard, and Top Advisor for the King and Queen. Sir Sheik!"

The castle was packed full of people dressed to impress. Ladies in dresses of all colors and cuts mingled with men in suits, military dress clothes, and traditional tribal outfits. Hors d'oeuvres had already been served by waiters and waitresses carrying plates full of food; the crab cakes that had been brought to the royals, who were hidden away in a side chamber until they were announced, had been delectable. Wine, ale, and meads all flowed freely and a few of the patrons were well on their way to drunkenness.

The tables were set with the finest china for tonight's meal. They would dine in the Grand Dining Hall, any overflow eating in the Entrance Hall which had been set for the occasion. After dinner the Royal Family would start the Ball itself with an opening dance.

But first, they had to be announced.

Sheik was the first to descend the Grand Staircase into the Entrance Hall; he wore a red tunic top with black pants as well as his chainmail and rarely used sword. He also wore a black cape, attached to his shoulders by gold pins, which had red Sheikah designs woven around a large red eye positioned between his shoulder blades. The cape fell to the middle of his calf and flowed freely enough to allow him to both show off his sword and for movement. His white cowl sat on his shoulders, but he allowed his hair to fall freely for the night.

The crowd hushed as soon as Sheik was announced. He gracefully made his way down the stairs and waited for the rest of the royals.

Sir Horwell stood opposite of Sheik at the bottom of the stairs. His job for the evening was a mixture of announcer and diplomat, "And now presenting, the Goddess Hylia's Vessel and Primary Guest of the castle, Lady Wren."

Wren's dress was designed to match Sheik's outfit; it was a simple, but stunning, ruby red trumpet style gown with no other accents. The gown was slinky, it hugged her curves the way only a custom fitted gown could, but was still designed for movement and grace. The dress was strapless, which showed off her sun kissed neck and shoulders. She wore low black heels and only a few pieces of black jewelry with red accents. The Triforce on the back of her neck was visible, perfectly framed by the hilts of her swords strapped in an X on her back. The swords were not the only weapons she carried; her auburn curls had been pinned in an elegant up-do, held in place by Sheikah throwing needles.

The crowd wasn't as quiet for Wren as they were for Sheik; apparently, a handful of people still hadn't heard about her status as Hylia's Vessel, and even more were eager to see her in person.

 _"Oh Nayru, please don't let me trip."_

 _"We practiced this earlier on much narrower stairs, you aren't going to trip. Put your chin up just a bit more… there you go. And don't look so nervous for Din's sake!"_

She began her descent, " _Well send me right the crap to Hell for looking nervous in front of all these people! How dare I! What if I fall! What then smarty pants!"_

A soft chuckled echoed around Wren's skull while Sheik's eyes crinkled, _"Then everyone will laugh at you and we will have to cancel the party. You'll be the talk of the town for months and won't be able to show your face again. Headlines will read, 'Goddess's Vessel Falls at Ceremony, Hundreds Stunned!'"_

Wren barely held in a giggle as she placed her foot on the ground. As they practiced, Sheik offered his arm to her and she took it. The crowd buzzed at this, but neither of them really cared. They were officially courting now and were to the point where they no longer cared what others thought about them. Even Horwell raised a sharp eyebrow at them, but he only smirked and continued with his announcements.

"If I could have everyone's attention please! Presenting, Leader of the Royal Army, Chief Protector of our Realm, Royal Emissary to Foreign Lands, Destroyer of all Evil, and Master of the Triforce of Courage, Once and Future King Link!"

Link stood at the top of the stairs dressed in a traditional green tunic with brown pants and boots. His chainmail sat over a white undershirt and the Master Sword sat firmly in place on his back. He also carried his shield; the large metal triangle was embossed with Hyrule's crest as well as a golden Triforce, and it took up most of his back. The same crown he wore during Wren's introduction sat on his head and small blue hoops were placed in his pierced earlobes. The appropriate amount of applause rang out while he descended the stairs to stand next to Horwell.

"And now, it would be my great honor to present, Ruler and Lawmaker of our Realm, Primary Peacemaker and Peacekeeper, Ruler of the Court, Master of the Triforce of Wisdom, Once and Future Queen Zelda!"

She was stunning. Zelda's green dress matched Link's outfit by incorporating subtle brown tones into the drop waist style skirt and bodice. Her hair had been combed straight and pulled off of her face by pins and a small crown sat atop her head. She was armed with a narrow and lightweight sword that was strapped to her hip but nothing else. Like they did with Link, the crowd gave Zelda the appropriate amount of applause as she came down the stairs to link arms with her husband.

All of this had been preplanned and practiced the day before. Everything from their titles to how they were to dress to where they would stand was all choreographed. While Zelda had wanted Wren's hair placed in an up-do to show off her Triforce, she did not want to announce it.

"Let them speculate, all the people need to know is that you are the Goddess's Vessel, not about that piece of the Triforce. I want rumors to flow that you may have it, it would force them to respect you even more."

Horwell allowed the applause to die down before continuing, "I would now invite all of our welcomed guests to follow us into the Great Dining Hall for supper."

He lead the Royals to the head table, where they sat in their assigned seats (Zelda in the middle, Link or her right, Wren on her left, and Sheik on Wren's left), and plates of food were soon brought forth.

Henrietta had pulled out all of the stops for tonight's meal. Stuffed goose, venison steaks, rabbit, cucco, beef, pork, and seafood dishes were all passed around along with an array of sides. Green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, salad, cucumbers, rice and pasta sides, corn and squash were soon piled high on plates as the people sat and began to eat. Wren had helped herself to a bit of beef steak, some grilled shrimp, a spoonful of corn salad, and a small helping of stuffing while Sheik sat patiently to by her side.

The crowd was preoccupied and they could speak freely, "So, when are you planning on eating tonight? It's got to suck, seeing everyone here stuffing their faces and not taking a single bite."

"This is not my first Harvest Ball, I'm used to it. I will probably excuse myself to the kitchen later this evening to grab a quick bite or I may have a plate brought up to my room later tonight."

Wren gently sipped her wine and dabbed her mouth with her cloth napkin, "I feel bad for you though. Not bad enough to not eat of course, that'd just be silly, but still."

He shrugged, "It's all part of being a Sheikah. Notice that none of my comrades are eating."

Wren hadn't noticed that, but now that he pointed it out, Wren saw empty plates in front of all of the Sheikah's present. Even Sha'Lyn's tribe, who had taken a table near the entrance to the Dining Hall, sat with empty plates. They weren't eating out of allegiance for the other Sheikah's who preferred to hide their mouths instead of their eyes.

"And besides," Sheik continued on, "Who would babysit this crowd if I were too busy stuffing my face and getting drunk. Link's already on his second mug of ale, and he's behind the rest of the group."

Wren snorted through a mouthful of salad, "The very idea of you doing something remotely close to stuffing your face or getting drunk is hilarious. I can't imagine you drunk… you're too stoic."

"Rest assured I have been drunk before. It was part of my training as a Sheikah, we are supposed to experience all of life's basic pleasures at least once during our training—"

"So getting wasted was part of your schooling? Sounds about right."

He nodded, "It's so we can know what we are like when we are drunk, how it affects our mind. Plus it's good to know, if by some wild chance we get drugged, what it feels like and how to fight through it. How about you? Can I assume you've been drunk?"

Like many things from her past, Wren couldn't say when exactly she had been drunk, but she knew she had, "Yeah, and let me tell you, I am adorable when I've had too much to drink. I'm only aiming for tipsy tonight, especially with all these people watching every move I make, so too bad for you."

"Too bad for me? How so?"

A mischievous smirk played on Wren's features as her hand brushed the top of Sheik's thigh under the table. Her fingers moved along the inside of his thigh, nowhere near his manhood, but enough to make Sheik's eyes widen.

She leaned closer to him to whisper in his ear, "Let's just say I get a little too flirty for my own good when I'm drunk. I lose some of my inhibitions around men that I find attractive. It's not sloppy, not by any means, but it is a lot freer than I should be in this sort of setting."

Sheik was too stunned to speak, so Wren removed her hand and took another sip of her wine with a wink in his direction.

He finally managed to gather himself, "You don't need to be flirty to garner my affection. Believe me, I've been eyeing you since the moment you started to step down those stairs. You make that dress look stunning… we may have to find a private place later in the evening."

Her eyebrows momentarily rose in surprise before she smiled at him, "I would like that."

"Then it's a date. This Ball will last most of the night, probably flowing into the early hours of the morning, so we will have plenty of time."

"If you two do sneak off" Zelda interrupted, a knowing smile causing her eyes to shine, "Do make sure it is truly private. That last thing we need is for the Goddess's Vessel and her Guard to get caught in some bushes somewhere. And for the love of The Three Sisters, make sure no one sees you leave."

"Why, they already know we are courting. We made it public tonight when Sheik escorted me to the table. If anyone is really stupid, they will figure it out when we dance together after we eat."

Zelda sighed, "Courting and sneaking off like two teenagers are entirely different matters."

Link leaned towards them to join the conversation, "Oh come on Zelda, it's not like you and me never snuck off during one of these things when I was courting you. If I recall, there's a nice secluded bench in the topiary maze where we would go to—"

Zelda cut him off by clearing her throat, which caused Link to chuckle and return to his ale, "Yes, and if I recall correctly, we were teenagers then. Young and in love, we never thought we would get caught. And, we did."

Link thunked his mug down on the table, "Oh yeah! By that emissary from one of the mountain tribes! Oh that was funny! He ran straight to your dad didn't he? Kicked my butt right out of the castle!"

Zelda rolled her eyes at her husband, "Yes, and after that he ran straight to the nearest reporter to give him some exaggerated story. My father was not happy about having to smooth all that over. You're lucky you were allowed in the castle after that."

Link shrugged, "I was one of the top Earls and devilishly charming. What can I say? Your father liked me. And if I remember correctly, a certain Princess reportedly spent most of her waking hours crying her eyes our and pining for me."

Wren chuckled while Zelda puckered her lips, "I did not spend most of my hours crying for you! I spent them trying to convince my father that you were a good man and to let you back into the castle. Your charm was only a small part in you being welcome again! So yeah, you're welcome!"

Link had a retort ready but his words were stopped when the main doors were flung open and three people wearing the strangest clothes Wren had ever seen marched through the entrance hall, past the diners, and to their table.

Several things happened at once: A few of the ladies were startled into screams and had to be calmed by their escorts, Sha'Lyn's tribe quickly stood, ready to attack when ordered, the other Sheikahs scattered throughout the hall also stood, the Shadow Sheikah moving towards the intruders, Sheik grabbed Wren's wrist and sent her a mental message telling her to be ready to flee or fight, while Link and Zelda immediately straightened in their chairs.

The three interlopers wore dark purple pants with a single electric blue stripe running along the outside, black pull over shirts full of the same blue swirls and symbols Wren did not recognize, and hooded black cloaks with more blue and purple symbols that ended in sharp points on their heads. The hoods of their cloaks had a metal guard worked into the fabric, framing their face in a deep silver halo and obscuring their eyes. They wore sandals that were elevated off of the ground with small platforms worked into the soles and balls of the foot piece. Their skin was grey, not a sickly shade, but unnatural.

 _"Sheikah?"_

 _"No… Forgotten. Stay alert."_

The trio had reached the table, faced the Royals, and knelt, two of them slightly behind the third. Each of them removed their hood, revealing black and grey hair.

It was the one ahead that spoke, his voice was soft and calming, "Queen Zelda of Hyrule, please forgive us for intruding. We request an audience. I am Z'a'atar, leader of the tribe that you call The Forgotten. We have news from across the desert and wish to be allowed a private meeting when possible."

To her credit, Zelda acted as though this sort of thing happened all the time and remained poised, "I welcome you Z'a'atar, please rise, I was wondering if you would join us tonight. Your news must indeed be urgent for you to travel such a distance. You must be weary, please, join us for a rest before we meet." She nodded to a butler, who somehow managed to find three free chairs and place them at the head table.

 _"She was wondering if they would join us?"_

 _"A ruse to settle the crowd. You know, try to make it look like they were invited and this is all part of the night. Our other guests do not need to know that they were not invited."_

Whispers erupted while the three were seated, their leader and another on the other side of Link and the third on Sheik's left.

"Please, if it is not too bold for me to ask, what is the true name of your tribe? We unfortunately lost the name through time, and referring to you as 'The Forgotten' is rude."

Z'a'atar addressed Zelda again, "We thank you for your hospitality, and yes, our message is urgent. We must speak to as soon as it is convenient. It is not your fault that you are unaware of the true name of our tribe, we have been distant with the Hylians by choice. We are the Twili and our home is on the outer edge of your vast Gerudo Desert."

Zelda nodded and faced Sheik and Wren, "You two will have to get the Ball started on your own. Link and I will meet with our guests after dessert." She added the next part in a whisper, "As far as our audience knows, Z'a'atar was invited; enforce that idea."

Wren took a deep breath and placed her hand over Sheik's one still gripping her wrist, _"Isn't that where we thought Ganondorf was? With The Forgotten, the Twili?"_

 _"We only guessed and it seems we may have been mistaken. Ganondorf would never allow them here."_

 _"But they cut off contact—"_

 _"And we don't know why. This meeting with Zelda is going to be interesting."_

Dessert was served, and Wren, who had been looking forward to it since the beginning of the night, found herself no longer craving chocolate cake or pie.

 _"Look casual. This was supposed to happen remember. Take a small piece of dessert at least. You don't have to eat it, just put some in front of you."_

Wren smiled and served herself a small sliver of chocolate cake with raspberry filling. Her stomach finally calmed enough for her to take a bite out of it when the Twili on Sheik's left spoke, "You are the Goddess's Vessel correct?"

The Twili was female, her voice was just as soft as her male counterpart's but was high pitched and tinkling. He black hair was tied in a tight tail at the nape of her neck, and her blue violet eyes shown with interest.

 _"Do I answer her?"_

 _"With small truths. Don't give more information than necessary._

"I am."

The Twili let out a soft, almost surprised, gasp, "I had heard rumors of a Goddess walking the Earth again, but I thought they were just stories. That is amazing! I am Z're by the way."

 _"She's younger, or at least not as stoic, as the other one."_

Z're was still talking, "That man over there is my older brother, Z'dlam. Z'a'atar is our uncle. Gosh it's been a long ride, I could go for something sweet."

 _"Much younger. If she's willing to give away information freely, let her."_

Wren nodded towards the spread before them, "Help yourself."

Z're looked around and her face slowly began to fall, "I, uh, well, I don't recognize any of this food…"

"Seriously?"

Z're blushed, her grey skin taking on a darker tone around her cheeks, "Yeah. We don't have food like this in our kingdom."

"Oh, um, I'm sorry… I didn't realize. Well, do you like fruity stuff, or chocolaty stuff, or something milder?"

"Fruity please!"

Wren reached across Sheik to help Z're dish up a plate of apple pie with cream while Zelda, Link, and Z'a'atar quietly spoke amongst themselves. Z'dlam sat silently on the far end of the table, surveying his surroundings with a careful gaze.

"Oh this is very good!" Z're spoke with a mouthful of apple mush, "Delightful! Do you have this often?"

Wren could only shrug while Sheik barely suppressed a look of disgust, "We have it often enough, not like every day, but it's not really a special occasion dessert. Henrietta probably whipped it up so we could have another option."

"Spoiled, the whole lot of you! Lucky ducks!"

The dessert plates were starting to be cleared away by the wait staff, Wren's cake was ushered away with only the small bite taken out of it, and people were beginning to talk. A mixture of whispers about the Twili, drunken boasts, and diplomatic arrangements all filled the air.

Zelda called Horwell to the table, whispered a few quick instructions in his pointed ear, and sat back.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Earls and Duchesses! Diplomats from all Kingdoms and other lands! May I have your attention please! The Twili ambassadors have requested an immediate audience with your King and Queen and therefore the Harvest Ball with be formally started solely by Sir Sheik and Lady Wren. If it would so please you, enter the Entrance Hall in due time to witness the opening waltz!"

Grumbles from the crowd arose, more than a few people were visibly upset about what they saw to be unfair favoritism towards the Twili.

Zelda rose, raised her right hand with the palm facing the audience, who immediately calmed, "My good people, rest assured, there is no unjust favoritism taking place tonight. Please understand, the Castle has not spoken to the Twili in several years, I only invited them out of curtesy and habit. They come with an urgent message, which I and your King must personally take as soon as we can. We will join you later in the evening, but until that time, please, do not let our absences ruin an otherwise wonderful Harvest Ball."

She had lied right to their honored guests' faces, and, miraculously, they bought it. Or at least they acted like they did.

Horwell led Wren and Sheik out of the Dining Hall, the crowd following them through the massive arch. Link, Zelda, and the Twili stayed behind and quietly ushered themselves to the adjacent Small Dining Hall, where two soldiers were placed at the entrance to ensure privacy. Wren caught a glimpse of Fyn out of the corner of her eye; he was working some sort of spell around the doorway to the Small Dining Hall, his hands glowed a gentle blue, and some stands of his white hair stood on end with static electricity.

He winked at her and Wren felt a warmness creep into her head, _"Just making sure our Royals get the privacy they deserve. The soldiers are only here for show and just in case something goes wrong, I'm making a barrier to ensure no sound comes out of that room._

" _Clever… I didn't know you were a telepath."_

" _Please. I'm the Chief Mage. Of course I'm a telepath."_

Wren thought back to their first meeting, how his eyes almost seemed to hypnotize her, how she thought he had read her mind.

" _Bingo! Yes, sorry, I was reading your mind that first time we met. I am really sorry about that… I just wanted to figure you out a bit."_

" _Apology accepted. Don't miss our big dance."_

" _Not for the world."_

The crowd formed a circle around the entry hall, Wren stood slightly ahead of one section of the group while Sheik stood opposite of her. An orchestra had been set up to one side of the room, their instruments already tuned, musicians ready to play at their maestro's cue.

Butterflies started to flutter about in her tummy, her food was suddenly not sitting as well as it had a half an hour ago. All eyes would be on her and Sheik for approximately three minutes while they danced the traditional opening waltz.

Sheik crossed the circle towards Wren, his boots leaving a gentle thud with each step. Wren's dress was suddenly too tight; she took a deep breath and reminded herself not to lock her knees. She went through all of the practiced dance moves in her head; Sheik would lead, but she was expected to look graceful and poised. She would stay with him for the entire dance, his hand on her hip while the other held her hand. She would rest her left hand on his shoulder; this would allow for both of them to remain armed during the dance.

He knelt before her, his eyes focused on her shoes, "My Lady Wren, if it would so please you, may I please have this dance?"

This was a formality, part of the tradition. Wren could, of course, say no, but that would've thrown the entire night off more than the Twili already had.

She swallowed and spoke her rehearsed words, "Rise Sir Sheik, I would be honored to have the first dance with you." Thankfully, Wren's nerves didn't show up in her voice or her step as she walked arm in arm with Sheik to the center of the circle.

He placed his hand on her hip, took her right hand in his, and she placed her hand delicately on his shoulder.

The music started, and they began to waltz. Wren's red dress swished with her steps, her heels leaving unnoticed clicks on the smooth floor. Sheik's cape flowed with him forming a wave in their wake. She didn't dare look anywhere else but Sheik's eyes; the rest of the room disappeared for her, it was just the two of them.

" _You are doing wonderfully!"_

" _Really? I'm freaking out right now."_

" _Yes really, we are captivating our audience right now. They might just be shocked because a Sheikah is dancing with a Holy Vessel, but I prefer to think it's because of how amazing we both look."_

" _For once you aren't being modest. I like that."_

" _I pride myself on a lot of things, but my ballroom dancing is probably in the top five."_

They had worked themselves around the entirety of the circle, allowing for all members of the crowd to get a good look at them, and began to dance their way back to the middle.

" _You know, I could kiss you at the end of this, I really could. Really get them talking._

" _Just on the forehead of course."_

" _Naturally. I wouldn't think of unmasking you in front of all these people just for one kiss."_

The music stopped, the last few notes warbling out of existence into the air. Sheik and Wren stayed together for a brief moment before Wren smirked, leaned forward, and planted a very gentle, but lingering, kiss on Sheik's forehead.

They parted, Sheik bowed and Wren curtseyed and the crowd was too stunned to even speak. Finally the orchestra started to play again and a few of the braver couples took to the dance floor.

A familiar voice behind Wren started her back to reality, "That was certainly impressive, my Goddess."

Wren turned and faced Sha'Lyn, who was wearing what could have only been her finest cloak. She couldn't help it, Wren nearly tackled Sha'Lyn with her bear hug.

"Oh, I've missed you so much! Sorry it took forever to write, I just got really busy and my hands were burnt for quite some time! How has the forest been? Was your trip here okay? How are Ra'Lee and the others? Have you seen Brook flying around at all?"

Sha'Lyn chuckled and gently pried Wren off of her. Sheik had worked his way through the crowd to find Wren, but only smiled and stood a small distance away when he saw the two girls together.

"Our journey here was fine and rest assured my tribe is doing okay too. I heard about the incident with your hands, but, judging by the strength behind that hug, I would say you have grown quite a bit in our short time apart. Look at you carrying swords, and are those throwing needles in your hair! Superb! I haven't seen Brook, but that doesn't mean he's not around."

Wren nodded and launched into her training regimen with the Royals. Sha'Lyn only smiled and patiently waited for Wren to talk herself out while she listened. They found themselves a table, Sheik standing guard nearby, and Wren soon found a full glass of wine before her.

"Well, I've talked about me long enough. How about you Sha'Lyn, you mentioned something about Bokoblins in the forest?"

Sha'Lyn nodded, "Yes, but not really enough cause for concern. We have destroyed all Bokoblins coming into or going out of our forest." She said the last part slightly louder, a Shadow Sheikah was nearby.

Wren glared at him, she couldn't tell if it was the leader of their tribe but she still didn't appreciate eavesdroppers, "That's good. Hey, mind if I try something with you quick? I'm going to have to touch your temples, but I will make sure you stay hooded."

Sha'Lyn nodded as Wren leaned forward her fingertips landing on Sha'Lyn's temples, pushing any stray hairs aside. She closed her eyes and sent out her frequency while searching for Sha'Lyn's. Slowly an earthy taste began to coat her tongue; mushrooms and root vegetables along with a very small hint of spice, and possibly a hint of dirt.

" _Can you hear me?"_

" _I—yes, I can. You did that incredibly quickly. I can feel you and hear you in my head!"_

" _It's the telepathy Sheik's been teaching me. We are currently working on forcing someone out of my thoughts, but that's taking some time. Now that I have your frequency, I should be able to contact you without actually having to touch you._

" _And now that I have you, I can talk to you in private. I know your tribe has a strained relationship with the Shadow Sheikah, and here's something that will make it even tenser. Their leader attacked me the other day, threw a knife right past my head. He wasn't aiming to kill, more to scare, and it worked."_

" _Does The Guardian know?"_

" _Who do you think I told first?"_

" _Good. As long as he is around you will be safe. I will alert my men to keep an eye on them this evening as well. Attacking a Goddess is unforgiveable, I wonder what drove him to do it?"_

Wren shrugged, _"Who knows. He said I was weak, really made sure to hammer that home, so I insulted him back. That might've done it… who knew a highly secretive Sheikah tribe wouldn't like to be insulted."_

Sha'Lyn laughed out loud and Wren broke the connection, "Well, it sounds like he deserved whatever insult you threw at him. For him to attack you though—"

"Was uncalled for, I know. I just wanted to let you know; promise not to make a big deal about it tonight. I just needed an extra set of eyes in this crowd."

She would've knelt at Wren's feet had they been allowed more privacy, instead, she just grabbed Wren's hand, "My Goddess, I promise to watch out for you and I promise to make sure it is a low key as possible. I do not wish to stir up any problems with the Shadow Sheikah."

 _I need to watch who I say "please promise" to._

Wren's attention was drawn back towards the Shadow Sheikah; his posture suggested that he was bored of the night's events, but it was far too casual for Wren to even entertain the idea that he hadn't been watching them.

Link, Zelda, and the Twili had returned to the party. The two Twili siblings went off on their own to mingle while their uncle approached Wren with Link and Zelda. Sheik sat at the table as well and, after taking stock of the situation, Sha'Lyn gently excused herself.

"The Twili ambassadors will be staying in the castle tonight. Sheik, please stay on guard." Zelda's voice was calm as she continued, "They have given us grave news, which we will discuss once our other guests have left. Until then, please provide them the same protection and care that any other honored guests were to receive."

Sheik nodded as Z'a'atar added in his soft voice, "Rest assured, myself and my niece and nephew are perfectly capable of defending ourselves. We will not need to be babysat. Just a good, clean sleeping quarter, and perhaps some food and a bath would be sufficient. I do not wish for Z're or Z'dlam to leave my sight, even for an evening. We can sleep on cots, or even on mats on the floor, just as long as we share a room."

"Of course, of course. We have small roll away beds that would be perfect. Two of them can be placed in our of our guest suites. I will alert a butler and maid immediately to prepare your accommodations."

"You have my never ending thanks for your generous hospitality Queen Zelda."

"It is truly nothing, especially after the ordeals you have been through, and the information you brought us tonight. You are more than welcome to enjoy the rest of the Ball, or, if you prefer, your room will be prepared in short time allowing you to rest. I can have someone show you there when you are ready."

Z'a'atar wandered away after a quick bow to meet with the rest of his family.

Wren opened her mouth to speak, a million questions running through her head, but Link cut her off, "I know, I know, you have a ton of stuff to ask, both you and Sheik. We can't really talk here though, so tomorrow morning. Let's just say they've been through Hell and back and leave it at that." He faced Sheik, "Make sure our other guests are kind to them, and he wasn't lying, they don't need protection. We can trust these people, you don't have to be on them all night."

"Good. If I remember correctly, my place tonight is with Wren."

Link somehow managed to wink and roll his eyes at the same time, "Oh trust me, I didn't forget."

Wren cleared her throat, "Well, if I remember correctly, this is a party, and my wine glass is empty. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to the bar to get something to drink. Anyone else want something?"

They all shook their heads and Wren retreated with Link hollering after her to try something called the Hyrule High Fly.

The bar was packed with people. Men telling fantastic stories, women past drunk flirtatiously smiling and nodding at the men, and the bartender managing to make drinks and work the crowd at the same time.

When he spotted Wren, he gave her a good natured bit of teasing, "Well, well, well, what have we here! A Goddess! At my humble little bar! Stand aside, stand aside!" He gave her an over exaggerated bow, his nose almost touching the bar top, "And what will my Grace be having tonight?"

Her previous glasses of wine had started to make Wren giddy, "Why my good man, you sure do know how to treat a lady. King Link suggested something called a Hyrule High Fly, but, alas, I've already had two glasses of wine and I never drink anything if I don't know what's in it."

"Ah, a wise decision My Lady. A Hyrule High Fly would have you well on your way to flying high." He took a more serious tone and leaned forward so only Wren could hear, "And I assume you want your wits about you tonight?"

She nodded and the barkeeper clapped his hands, "Ah, a glass of wine will be just fine then!"

"White wine, the sweet stuff, if you have it."

"Of course I have it, what type of barman do you take me for?! Do I have it! My word…"

She giggled, took her wine, thanked him, and turned to leave.

And nearly ran face first into a Shadow Sheikah, who, before she could protest, grabbed her shoulders, spun her around, and marched her past the bar, down the side of hall, and out into the courtyard.

"Our leader was right, you have no awareness at all. Far, far, far too easy to steer around. I will have to alert the Guardian."

Wren spun around, dropped her glass on the pavement, where it shattered, and reached for her swords.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down." The Sheikah before her raised both his hands in front of him in a non-confrontational gesture, "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to warn you. I mean, it is good that you were, finally, ready to attack, but let me speak my peace before you attempt anything.

"I know that our leader had a bit of a, ah, confrontation with you. Please understand, he is a poor representation of the Shadow Sheikah. Nearly all of our tribe jumped at the opportunity to even get a glimpse of you, I mean, you are a Goddess in the flesh after all, we wanted the honor of actually seeing you."

Wren nodded for him to continue, her hands still holding onto the hilts of the swords behind her.

He went on, "For him to attack you, for him to insult a Goddess, it goes against everything we stand for. I would apologize on his behalf if our tribe stood for that sort of thing, but, since we let our members apologize for themselves, I will simply warn you. There is a bigger plot afoot; our leader has been sneaking about for the last several weeks. We suspect he may be working for a larger darkness."

Wren's breath caught in her chest, "How much do you know?"

"Only suspicions and hunches."

"Are there any other members of your tribe siding with him?"

"That is difficult to discern. Our tribe is naturally secretive, so a traitor in our midst would have no problem going undetected."

"Can you do anything about it?"

The man's eyes turned toward the ground, eyeing the shattered glass and spilled wine, "No."

"Fair enough. Can I touch your temples, I would like to get your frequency so we can communicate telepathically."

He took a step back, "No! That would be far too dangerous! Our leader is already inside all of our heads'. For me to even come and speak with you puts me in danger. He could find out! This is seen as an act of betrayal! I may even have to flee my tribe."

"That's, that's not fair! You shouldn't be banished for this! Listen, you will always have a safe place at the castle, trust me on that. Your leader won't be able to touch you here."

"Don't be so sure of that. He might already know where I am. If I have to, I will run tonight." He turned his back to her and began to walk towards the great doors leading into the city. Fireworks erupted outside of the walls, shooting into the sky with their grand colors and cartwheels, and cheers soon followed.

 _Bless him._

 _What._

 _Bless him, just like you did Thelma's bar._

 _I don't think I can._

 _Try it, you might be surprised._

 _How?_

 _Do what feels right._

"Um, well, hey, before you go off into the night, I have something for you. Please come back and kneel."

The Shadow Sheikah automatically obeyed with a slightly confused look in his eyes.

Once he was on one knee before her, his eyes to the ground, the words came naturally to Wren. She lifted both her hands to hover over his head and spoke, "To the Shadow Sheikah before me, I, the Goddess Hylia's Holy Vessel, bless you." A warm, golden glow emanated from her hands and over the Sheikah, "This blessing will keep you safe from any harm that would come to you via your leader or any of his cohorts, and will ensure you safe travels throughout the land. I do this as a favor for your warning. Please rise."

After a short hesitation, he did as he was told, "My Lady, I thank you. I never expected a blessing from a Goddess, and am truly honored."

Wren waved him off, "It is okay, hopefully I did it right. Does Sheik, sorry, the Guardian, know about your leader?"

He had turned to leave and spoke over his shoulder, "Why do you think I told you?"

Another voice behind Wren spoke, "Yes Wren, why do you think he told you?"

She had her swords drawn before she could think, the other Sheikah took two quick steps to stand near her. He remained unarmed, but highly tense.

The Shadow Sheikah leader materialized from the shadows, "Oh, now you're ready for me. Awfully convenient that you have a traitor standing next to you." He mockingly clucked his tongue, "A traitor is not a good ally Wren, a concept I figured even you would have grasped."

He eyed her swords with no trace of fear, "Are you going to attack me? I would love to see you try in that fancy dress of yours."

Adrenaline surged through her eliminating any tipsiness from earlier, "Not until you give me a reason. I am only going to say this once: you-need-to-leave-now."

He took a step towards the two of them, the Sheikah by her side subtly positioning himself in front of her, "And if I refuse? Will you go crying to your Guardian?"

"Who says I already haven't?" It wasn't a lie, Wren had been in contact with Sheik since the blessed Sheikah originally stopped them in the courtyard. She had initially told Sheik to stay back and let her handle the situation, but now she was crying out for his assistance.

"Ah, yes. You're a telepath. How stupid of me to forget."

"You knew?" Wren's voice was calm but inside she was starting to panic. How could he have known?

She couldn't see it, but the leader was smirking. He tapped his wrapped temple and said, "Of course I knew. The way you stared pointedly at The Guardian after our little meeting, it didn't take a scholar to figure it out. You really are easy to read.

"And now I am curious. I want to see what else is going on in that head of yours before your Guardian shows up. I don't have very long, so" he chuckled, "this is going to be unpleasant for you."

A scratching sensation started behind Wren's eyes and worked its way into her temple and to the back of her skull. This irritation was paired with the familiar warmth that always accompanied someone invading her thoughts, but this time the heat was bordering on uncomfortable.

 _"_ _Ah, yes, what have we here. Some insecurities maybe? Some deep, dark, shameful secrets?"_

Wren moved to attack, swords at the ready, when her body jolted to a stop. A sharp, almost stabbing, pain began to dig itself into her brain. A tiny dagger she would never be able to dig out of her head.

" _Ah, ah, ah, I wouldn't try attacking me if I were you. I'm in your head after all. I can manipulate your mind. Just stay still before you make me do something you will regret."_

She lowered her swords and turned to the blessed Sheikah, a silent cry for help in her eyes.

The leader spoke aloud, "Don't you dare try to help her. One small slip of my concentration and she will amount to nothing more than an invalid. You are going to stand here and face the consequences of your traitorous actions. Well, she's going to pay for your actions really, but you will still get to watch."

"You are a monster—"

"Call me whatever you wish, just know that I will soon be one of the ultimate rulers of this land."

The blessed Sheikah took a step forward, ready to charge, and another searing pain went through Wren's head. She couldn't help it, she grabbed her head, her swords falling by her side, and fell to her knees with a small shout, stopping the friendly Sheikah in his tracks.

"What did I just tell you! Perhaps if you were better at taking orders you wouldn't find yourself in this situation!"

He faced Wren, his eyes shining with madness, _"Weak. That was nothing."_

 _"Drown him out, drown him out, do what Sheik taught you—"_

 _"The Guardian, it seems, has taught you nothing! I'm going to delve a little deeper now, learn some more about you."_

 _"White noise, white noise, white noise, static, static, static. Random words and phrases!"_

 _"That's not going to work Wren."_ He sent another stab through her, this time through her left eye, causing tears to form. She closed her eyes to keep herself from crying.

 _"What's this here? A little gem about Sheik…oh, you've seen his face—"_

 _"Lalalalalalala can't hear you, you don't get to see that. Nope, none of your business. Nope, nope, nope. You don't get to see what he looks like."_

 _"Oh, but I think I do."_ The pain behind her eye increased, it felt like he was carving out her eye from the inside out.

Several things happened at once: The blessed Sheikah made his move by attacking his leader head on with two short daggers. He stopped short when he saw the Guardian Sheikah rush forward from the shadows, position himself behind his leader, pining the man's arms at his side with one arm and holding a blade to his throat with the other. Wren's pain began to abate which allowed her to rise and pick up her own weapons.

The Guardian's voice was nearly a growl, he pressed the knife further into the attacker's throat, "The only reason you aren't dead yet is because I want you to live long enough to be properly disgraced. Shameful, attacking a Goddess and betraying your tribe!"

He nodded towards the blessed Sheikah, "Do it now, if you are willing."

"Of course."

He approached the two and panic began to creep into the Shadow Sheikah's eyes and tone, "I will harm the Goddess further if you come towards me! I can still get into her head!"

"Then I best do this quickly." The blessed Sheikah reached out for his leader's cowl, and with one flick of the wrist, yanked it off.

The now disgraced man hung his head as best as he could with Sheik's blade at his throat.

Sheik was beyond angry, "Go ahead, raise your face. I want the Goddess herself to see what a traitor looks like. You are lucky we did this in relative privacy instead of in the castle's main hall." He nudged the knife, forcing the man's chin up, "Go head, look at her."

And the man did. His face was rather plain; the only trace of anything original was stubble forming on his jaw and chin. He was younger than Wren assumed, possibly in his late twenties and his red eyes shone with unmatched fury.

In the split second it took for Wren to make eye contact, the disgraced Sheikah made his move. He had a hidden blade near his wrist, which he quickly flicked lose to stab into Sheik's leg. The pain took him by surprise, he loosened his grip, and the other Sheikah twisted and freed himself.

He continued his assault, producing another throwing needle and stabbing Sheik square in his eye. Sheik howled, hands reaching for his bleeding eye, guard temporarily dropped and his assailant drew another, far longer, dagger, and lunged.

Wren moved to attack the disgraced Sheikah before he could land another blow. She moved faster than she realized she could, especially dressed as she was, but was still passed by the blessed Sheik.

 _"My Lady, please halt! You are not ready to be a killer! Besides, I am blessed."_

He rushed the other Sheikah and thrust a hidden dagger into his side before the man could turn. With a sharp twist, the blessed Sheikah dislodged the dagger and stabbed again, this time arching his stab upwards. The blade hit home in the other's lung. He hadn't even turned to face his assailant before the blessed Sheikah withdrew the blade a second time and let the disgraced man fall to his knees. Blood began to bubble in the corners of his mouth. The blessed Sheikah was not finished, he moved behind the fallen man, grabbed his hair to force his chin up, and cleanly slit his throat. A crimson bib darkened his black clothes.

He was dead before he hit the ground, and Wren was already rushing towards Sheik.

She worked him to the ground, cradling his head in her lap and worked his hands away from his eye, "Oh no, oh no, oh no. Okay. Sheik, hey, I'm going to try to make this as painless as possible. That needle has to come out. On three alright?

"One" She gingerly gripped the needle and Sheik's body tensed.

"Two" She took Sheik's hand in her other one, squeezing it to try to reassure him.

"Three!" And she pulled. Sheik shouted and twisted in agony, but the needle, thankfully, came out easily. Sheik's eyesight would be permanently lost unless Wren acted quickly.

"Alright, I've got this." She was only trying to reassure both herself and Sheik. In reality, she had no idea whether she could heal something as complex as an eye.

The familiar glow started on her right hand, which she placed directly on Sheik's eye. He immediately calmed, his other eye closing serenely. The process took longer than any previous healing attempt, Wren was sure she'd be starved by the end of it, but gradually Sheik's eye began to heal.

His eyesight restored and the pain gone, Wren made quick work of the small, but deep, stab in his leg. Sheik stood, helped Wren to her feet, and faced the blessed Sheikah.

"You were the second in command correct?"

He nodded, and cast a disgusted stare at the corpse by his feet.

Sheik continued, "Then this means that you are now the leader of the Shadow Sheikah tribe. By the sound of it, you have a lot of cleanup work to do in your tribe. I would advise you root out, and banish, any traitors. Tell them what happened here tonight and make sure you keep your allies close."

"Telling them I killed our leader won't be easy—"

"Then tell them why you had to kill him. If they have any respect for the Goddess and the Crown, they will understand. But now, we have a corpse to dispose of and a Royal Family to notify. Which would you rather do?"

The blessed man scoffed, "The body. I'd rather dispose of a body over telling the Queen why there's a body in the first place any day. Just tell me where."

"Go to the market and buy a cheap rug," Sheik produced his money pouch and gave the man three red rupees, "wrap the body, and carry to the city's dump. There, you will find numerous s cesspits. You will have to take the long way around the city; the streets are packed with people celebrating. Weigh it down and dump it in one of the pits. Make sure it is completely submerged. And do not get caught. Do not be seen. Use your training and stay hidden."

"Of course." He easily heft the body over his shoulder, blood from the deceased's neck oozing out and seeping down the blessed man's back.

"You are more than welcome to return. Just, for the love of all that is Holy, clean yourself up first."

"I doubt I will be able to return, I need to ride back to my tribe tonight. If it would please you, could you alert my comrade of tonight's events and have her meet me at the cesspit after she gets our horses? We will ride back to our tribe from there. It would also be kind of you to send our luggage."

Sheik nodded, "Naturally."

The blessed Sheikah glanced at Wren, "It was a pleasure meeting you, My Lady, I only wish it was under better circumstances. And, again, my thanks for the blessing."

"Of course. Good luck leading your tribe."

His eye crinkled the same way Sheik's did when he smiled, "Thank you. I have a feeling I will need it."

And he was gone, seemingly evaporating into the shadows.

Sheik faced Wren, his cowl and pants stained with his own blood, "And you are okay?"

"Yeah, just starving. Did you see him in my head?"

"All of it. Your attempts at pushing him out were not in vain, you did succeed in barring him from your memories."

Wren nodded, "Good. That's good. Look, I am really hungry, is there any way we can return without raising suspicion?"

"Probably not. We need to change clothes and I smell of blood. People will ask questions."

Her face fell, "Oh…"

He gently took her hand and started towards the castle, "We can have someone bring food up to my chamber, or go to the kitchen itself."

"No, Henri wouldn't appreciate us dropping in on her and adding to her stress. We can just have someone take it to you room."

"You sure you're okay?"

She stayed silent for a moment while they entered through a small side door. She finally broke the silence when they were partway to their chambers, "I was ready to kill him you know? I could've done it, but the other Sheikah stopped me. He said—"

"That you weren't ready to be a killer, I heard him. I'm glad he stopped you too. Killing someone is not easy, and, he was right, you aren't ready. Not yet."

"It's just scary. I was in such a rage that I acted without thinking. When I saw him stab your eye, I just lost it."

Sheik squeezed her hand gently, "It's understandable. You stopped when he told you to; you kept your rage in check. I should've killed him straight away, but I figured disgrace was a more fitting punishment."

"It's worse than death."

He nodded and they continued to their chambers' in silence.

"Go, wash up, change into something more comfortable; those shoes have to be killing you. I will be in my chambers and will have food brought up. I need to meet with the other Shadow Sheikah as well as briefly advise Zelda on tonight's events."

Wren nodded and disappeared behind her chamber door. She kicked off her high heels, only to place them gently near her dresser, and padded into the bathroom to wash her hand. The blood swirled in the sink in hypnotizing pink rivets. Her hair came down next; she shook her hair free from the pins, which she set on the counter next to the sink. The auburn curls, tensed from spending the day styled around her head, bounced playfully down her shoulders.

Her swords came next. She gently removed them and the strap securing them in place. She kept them in their hilts and leaned them against the wall near her bed.

The dress was more difficult to shuck off. Buttons ran down the back, a handmaid had to help her into the dress, and Wren had to work them before the dress feel from her shoulders. She wiggled the dress down her hips and past her legs, leaving it in a crimson puddle on the floor. Her bra and panties were next, discarded on the floor next to the dress.

She stretched, enjoying being nude for a moment, before bending to clean up her clothing and placing it in her hamper. Soft pajamas were next; she decided to keep her hair down for the time being and bring a hair tie with her.

Sheik was still washing when Wren entered his room; the door to the bathroom was closed, but a soft steam and glow showed in the crack near the floor. She grabbed a book from his shelf and made herself at home on his bed. She was a few pages into the first chapter when Sheik emerged.

A towel was loosely slung around his hips, a small treasure trail of hair ran from under his navel into the towel. He was naked from the waist up, his abs and muscles taught. His cowl was gone and his blond hair, which he was drying with a towel, clung around his face and neck. He placed the hair towel around his shoulders and gently smirked at Wren.

"Are you still that impressed. You've seen me shirtless before."

"It never gets old."

"Flattering. I need to go and alert both the Shadow Sheikah and Zelda about tonight's events. I also need to get us some food. Any requests?"

Wren shook her head, "Whatever Henrietta has handy will be fine."

"You can be a bit pickier you know! You've lived here for over two weeks, you can start making requests. Besides, if I tell her 'whatever is handy' she will send up an entire buffet; she knows I haven't eaten yet, so 'whatever's handy' might turn into all the leftover food in the kitchen. Seriously, what do you want?"

Wren laughed, "If my fatal flaw is that I'm too nice, so be it. Go get dressed while I think about it. I won't be able to decide with you standing around half naked. Too much for me to look at."

With a playful eye roll, Sheik tossed his damp hair towel towards Wren, who snatched it out of the air before it could land on her head. He turned and disappeared back into the bathroom to change.

When he returned, he was garbed in his traditional Sheikah clothing and adjusting his cowl, "This shouldn't take too long. I'll be back in a few okay?" He leaned forward to give Wren a kiss before placing the cowl above his nose.

Wren's view of him leaving, even though he was fully clothed, was just as nice as when he first came into the room. She smiled to herself before returning to the book.

 _Tonight. Tonight's the night it's going to happen._


	23. Chapter 22

Datura was beyond annoyed. The streets of Castle Town were far too crowded for her taste, the people far too happy in their celebrations, and the children running here and there with their various prizes from the carnival games were far too overexcited.

At least she was allowed to walk freely and show her face; the two men flanking her were not so lucky, they had to be cloaked with heavy hoods and capes.

A child, probably no older than ten, ran out in front of them, nearly tripping the cloaked person on her Datura's left. He didn't stop to apologize, his quest to find his friends the only thing on his mind, and the cloaked figured made a sudden movement. Datura threw out her arm to stop him, and the boy ran off, completely oblivious to the fact that he was nearly murdered.

"No" she hissed between her teeth, "Not now! We can't afford to be discovered and stabbing a kid would be a surefire way to do that. We are here to do what Lord Ganondorf says and then get out. Understand?"

The cloaked man's voice was silky and smooth, "Of course… but if I hid the body—"

"What part of 'no' are you not understanding?!"

Her partner stayed silent while the man on Datura's right chuckled, "Honestly Ghirahim. Do you really think that hiding the body will do any good? His poor dear mother would cry because he was missing, then a search party would be set out, then the body would be found, and then the mysterious Gerudo and her two cloaked friends would be the first suspects. It's best for us to blend in."

Ghirahim scoffed, "You really think we are blending in? Come now! Datura sticks out like a sore thumb, Gerudo's were only recently reintroduced back into the city remember, and us flanking her only adds to the obviousness. We might as well be wearing bright pink 'I work for the Dark Lord' leotards."

The other man sneered, "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"I only wear clothing that accentuates my body, so, no. You should know that by now. Just because I like to wear my own clothing and now just a copy of the King's—"

"I have my own reasons for mimicking his dress—"

"I bet you do. Want to be strong like him? I know that he would've soundly defeated you when the Vessel was fleeing had you not turned tail and ran."

Dark Link made a growling noise in the back of his throat, "And as I recall, you literally had the Vessel in your hands when you fucked that up. How did that beating from our Lord feel?"

Datura interrupted, "Enough, both of you! We are here to do our job, and hopefully the Sheikah spy in the castle is doing his."

The trio wove their way through the streets until they found a fairly secluded alley. Datura produced a bottle containing a black swirling mist, uncorked it, and upended the contents. The mist swirled and heavily oozed out of the bottle until it made more of a concrete shape before them. It was a cloaked being with one very large, and very red, eye in the middle of where its head would be. It had the shape of a man, but was not solid. It hoovered for a few moments before disappearing, taking its scythe along.

"Okay, one down, nine more to go."

"We should split up, it would make this go far faster."

"No! You two are my guards. We stick together."

And the two men listened. They worked together as a trio to disperse the nine other Poes throughout the city. The spirits were under their Lord's enslavement, and would only attack when the time was right. Their Chief Mage had also worked a charm on several bones, which were unceremoniously stuffed into bags, for them to place around the city as well. These bags, containing the bones of Stalfos, were to remain hidden and dormant until the proper time. A third charm had been placed over five sacks full of dust, which would resurrect into Redeads, which would hopefully make more Redeads, when the time was right.

If everything wen according to plan, tonight they would have the Vessel, which would allow them to place siege to the city in a few days' time, hopefully forcing the Royals to flee. They would then hunt down the family and either kill them or capture them for their own amusement.

Once the final bone bag was tucked behind a stack of ancient wooden boxes behind a shop, Datura stood to face her escorts, "Okay, we did our job, now we wait. Hopefully the Shadow Sheikah had an easy time getting the Vessel. Once he delivers her to us, we will escape from the city and return to our Lord."

Ghirahim chuckled, "Oh, I do hope he lets us have some time with her. She did taste very, very good, and her fear was beyond exquisite."

"Keep it in your pants. Our Lord will want her first. Gavana has already been damaged beyond repair and he needs a change. You two will probably get The Whore for your own personal use now that our Lord is done with her. Don't be stupid and kill her straight away, I don't know when you will get another pet."

Dark Link spoke, "Ah, the Gerudo, perfect. She will be wonderful. I've been wanting a bite at her since…" he trailed off awkwardly. The first time he had seen Gavana was during their punishment for failing to capture Wren.

The awkwardness went unnoticed by Datura, "You're welcome by the way. Without me, Gavana wouldn't even be with our Lord."

Under his hood, Ghirahim's eyebrows arched, "Oh, and why do you say that? I was under the impression that our Lord captured her on his own."

"Which he did. I just had to push The Whore in the right direction. I told our Lord that I had a gift for him, but he would have to find it himself. Naturally, he was all for this, and I just had to make sure she was in the right place at the right time."

Dark Link let out a sinister chuckle, "Interesting. So, why betray one of your own?"

"She was all for killing, or at the very least letting the Castle know about, Ganondorf. She was adamantly against severing ties with the Castle, and she led the crusade to banish him. Well, I just couldn't have that; our Lord will usher in a new era, and anyone who gets in his way will be punished. I knew she would be a perfect concubine for him, but I was mildly surprised to see just how quickly she broke. She was supposed to last another two or three months, but she shattered like glass."

Ghirahim interrupted, "Hopefully the Vessel will put up more of a fight."

Datura shrugged, "She was fairly weak when I met her, but that was over two weeks ago. She's probably gotten stronger. I would like to take the Guardian alive with her when the time comes. I want to have some fun with him myself, but I am unsure if our Lord would permit that."

Movement from the end of the alley caught their eye. A shadowy figure was weaving in and out of the side streets while gracefully carrying a large rolled rug on one of his shoulders. His movements were fleeting and calculated, like a man that did not want to be seen. Naturally, this immediately drew Datura's attention.

She jerked her head towards him, held a finger to her lips to indicate for her comrades to stay silent, and began her pursuit.

It turned out that the man they were stalking was a member of the Shadow Sheikah tribe. He was trying to reach his destination as quickly and stealthily as possible, which lead Datura to guess that there was more to the situation than met the eye. He was likely concealing something, or someone, in the rug and needed to dispose of it as soon as possible.

They followed him to a secluded, walled off portion of the city that contained the dump and the cesspits. He worked his way around the wall, trying to find a way in without going through the front gates, and finally found a hidden locked side door. He dropped the rug, which landed with a heavy thud, and bent to pick the lock.

Datura waited a minute before following him through the door. The stink of the place nearly made her gag, no wonder this entire area was walled off and sequestered. She hid herself and her companions behind several large barrels near the entrance. The Sheikah stood at the lip of a giant pool filled with refuse and human waste. He dropped the rug again, left for a moment, and returned with two very large building stones.

A soft breeze blew through the night air, stirring up even more of the stink while the man worked. First, he unrolled the rug, a body coming with it; Datura frowned, the body was recognizable as the Shadow Sheikah that was supposed to capture the Vessel. So he had failed, and, by the look of things, been disgraced in the process.

Next the Sheikah secured the two stones to the man's feet with a length of rope. Now came the tricky part, dragging the body into the cesspool without making too much of a mess. Thankfully, the pool was set into the ground in a giant hole below them, the lip of which stood roughly ten feet above the mess.

Carefully, the man edged the corpse closer, pushing and pulling the body headfirst further and further over the edge, until it became too top heavy and teetered over. The body made a sickening plop as it hit the filthy water and sank.

The man turned, walked right past the obscured trio, and exited, closing the door behind him.

Ghirahim gave a mild oath, "Well, so much for the plan. At least he was killed before our Lord could get ahold of him. Shame really, he won't face his punishment, we may not be so lucky—"

Datura interrupted, "No. His failure is not our fault. Something must've happened at the castle, something that wasn't supposed to. Some sort of interference, judging by the fact that it was a member of his own tribe that disposed of the body. He was disgraced too, so perhaps some sort of altercation before he was killed."

Dark Link added, "Don't be so sure about not being punished, we still don't have the Vessel. Our Lord will not be pleased, and he may take his anger out on us."

The Gerudo wasn't as confident as she weakly added, "We did our job… I will try to convince him to take his anger out on a more appropriate source. Hopefully he will understand if we explain things."

"Or" Ghirahim spoke with the smooth reassurance that came when someone dreamt up a bullet proof plan, "we could just not tell him what we saw here tonight. Tell him that the Sheikah never arrived, and we couldn't linger longer. We could tell him that we figured the Shadow Sheikah already arrived, or that he needed more time to get the Vessel separated from the Guardian."

Datura considered this while Dark Link scoffed, "Our Master will know when we are lying."

"So we only bring it up if he asks."

"I think this may work," Datura was hesitant but hopeful, "I see no reason why he wouldn't believe that."

Ghirahim moved towards the door, "Good, then it's decided. We forget what we saw here tonight. We did our job, waited around, figured something must've happened and left."

The Sheikah was a small distance away when the trio left the walled cesspits. He stood under a street lamp on a corner, his eyes darting here and there. Finally, another Shadow Sheikah joined him, and, after a short conversation, they exited the city.

"So they are fleeing. No matter, we have other spies among the Shadow Sheikahs."

Datura nodded, "Yes, hopefully they can dispose of these two traitors before they can sing too many praises of the Royals to the rest of the tribe."

The trio lingered around the city for a short while longer, giving themselves just enough time to come up with a convincing story for their Lord and to prove that they waited. They left the city, marching right past a guard, and mounted their three horses that were hidden outside of the city walls.

They rode towards the desert knowing that they wouldn't arrive at their destination until late the following night.


	24. Chapter 23

AN: There is this saying, "An excuse is like an asshole, everyone has one and they always stink" So, be ready for some stink. I am so incredibly sorry for how long it took me to update, but work and One Act have been taking up most of my time. One Act especially is slowly killing me, and the stress from my job is not helping. Basically, when I get home, I just want to eat and sleep and nothing else. I have crashed on the couch more than once at eight because I was so beat. The literal last thing I want to do is hammer out a plot, develop characters, worry about editing, and advance my story... so I am sorry again for how long this took.

I need you to know though, Speech season starts up after One Act, and while it is not early mornings (except on Saturdays), it calls for late days after school. So updates might be few, far, and in between. I will leave an author's note should updates be few, far and in between.

So, thank you for my followers, thank you for my new readers, thank you to those who PMed me. And thank you to you reading this, follower or new reader. These next two chapters are shorties, but the next ones should be more action packed.

Oh, and like I promised over a month ago, here's something naughty. Not into smut (it's consensual this time), don't read this chapter and just skip to the next one.

* * *

It took a full half an hour for Sheik to return, and he had a literal picnic basket full of food. Wren eyed the basket and smirked, "Really, a picnic basket? A bit cheesy don't you think?"

Sheik blushed slightly as he pulled his cowl down and placed the basket on the nightstand, "It's the best way to get all the food Henri gave me. You never gave me an answer on what you wanted, so when I just said 'send whatever' she packed a little bit of everything."

He worked himself over to a small storage closet and pulled out a rather shabby looking quilt; the type that has kept numerous people warm over harsh winters and was frayed around the edges, but was too sentimental to give up. Next came four oversized pillows, impractical things but good for this type of situation. He spread the quilt flat and tossed two of the pillows so they were propped against the wall. He set the other two pillows on the quilt forming a soft cushion so they wouldn't have to sit on the ground. He went around the room extinguishing every other oil lamp, casting the room in a pleasant dimness.

While Sheik was creating the scene, Wren was busy poking through the picnic basket. Henrietta really had packed anything, and everything, they would've wanted. Plates, cups, and silverware were all bundled along with several small pots and containers full of food. She had even thrown in a bottle of wine and, Wren chuckled at little at this, a vase and three roses. She picked up the vase, arched an eyebrow at Sheik, who shrugged, and took it to the bathroom to fill it. She placed it in the center of the quilt and placed the roses inside it.

She set a plate, cup, and silverware before each pillow set and began to unload the food. It would be a help yourself type of evening and Wren made sure to put everything within reach along with the appropriate serving utensils. She poured each of them a glass of wine, sat on her pillow, and politely waited for Sheik to sit before eating.

Sheik shucked off his shoes and sat cross legged on the other pillow, "The party downstairs is going well. Zelda wasn't all that thrilled when I told her about the Shadow Sheikah, but, well, what's done is done. She will send a diplomatic envoy to the tribe as soon as possible. The Twili weren't around either, so they probably retired for the night. Link is working the crowd like an old pro, talking to everyone between his drinks."

Wren smiled between bites of steak, "How drunk is he?"

"Not nearly as much as he could be, I'm willing to bet he's had a few healing potions and Zelda keeps an eye on him too. He knows not to get too drunk and will stop when he has reached his limit."

"I'm sorry you had to miss out on everything, but, you know, this is nice too."

Sheik shrugged, "Parties aren't really my thing, too many people to keep an eye on, I prefer this any day."

Wren nuzzled closer to Sheik while still allowing room for both of them to eat, "That's good. Gives us some privacy and gives you some time to actually enjoy your food."

"I don't mind it so much, only on long journeys. It's hard to sneak away for food when you are in the middle of nowhere, or a guest in someone's house. Most people anymore are familiar with our customs, but sometimes they are still taken aback when we won't eat with them."

The conversation lulled while they ate; once sated and pleasantly warm from the wine, they gathered up the remaining food and dishes, placed them back in the basket, and set the basket outside of the door.

Once the chamber door was latched and locked, Sheik faced Wren, who was reclining on her pillow with a happy, almost tipsy, smile on her face, "Any special requests for the rest of the evening? It would be unwise to return to the party so we are stuck up here—"

"That's fine. Come here, sit with me, let's just enjoy each other's company. I have no place to be, and I assume breakfast won't be served until late morning."

Sheik sat and Wren quickly cuddled next to him, intertwining her legs with his and resting her head on his chest so his voice reverberated into her ear, "Don't worry about that. We will have a few guests stay in the castle tonight, but most of them will leave shortly after the party for inns in town. Henri will provide breakfast for whoever wants it when they want it. We can sleep in until noon if we want; Zelda won't hold the meeting with the Twili until all the guests are gone."

"So we have all night basically?"

Sheik nodded, "Pretty much. I don't have to be up early since we only allow those we truly trust to stay in the castle and the Twili have another guard now that Zelda knows I will be staying with you tonight. The other guards, the White Knights, can handle things tonight."

 _Now or never._

"Good."

Before Sheik knew what was happening, Wren straddled him, her hands on his chest, and her lips on his mouth. The kiss, like so many of their others, started out gentle with Sheik returning the kiss as soon as he registered what had happened. Wren took the initiative to deepen the kiss by working her tongue into Sheik's mouth; Sheik tasted wine and chocolate cherries from their dessert on Wren's tongue.

His hands rested on her hips while her hands moved gently across his chest. This was not the first time either of them had been intimate with someone. Sheik, being a man of the court, had slept with a small number of courtly women; however, during those sessions, he had to remain fully clothed, only unlacing his pants to do the deed. The woman didn't seem to mind this, in fact, it only added to the fun of the night; occasionally a woman would ask to be blindfolded or shackled to the bed, actions which Sheik always agreed to. Afterwards they could say that they slept with the Sheikah and he could walk away with his needs fulfilled. There was no connection to these women, other than perhaps friendship, and both parties left happy. Sheik's sex life was primarily made up of one night stands, and, up until now, that suited him just fine.

Wren on the other hand did have at least one serious boyfriend in her past life. Naturally, she could not recall his name or his face, but she knew what to do to make him happy in bed. She wasn't a naïve virgin, but her experience had only been with one man who loved it when she took control. With Sheik, she was acting on instinct, moving in ways any man would appreciate.

She worked her hands up past his neck and into his hair, her mouth never leaving his. His hair was incredibly soft, almost feminine, and she toyed with the gentle curls that graced the nape of his neck.

Wren moved her mouth from his, leaving gentle kisses across his cheek until she got to his ear. She gave a soft lick along the shell of his ear and moved her kisses to his jawline until settling upon his pulse point in the hollow between his neck and collar bone. Here she placed a much stronger kiss, sucking on the skin and almost bruising it.

Sheik's hands tightened on her hips, a soft moan escaped him as Wren worked his neck. It was impossible to miss the hardening lump that had begun to form beneath her. He had no concern over any love marks they may leave on one another; Wren could heal and, if he had to, he could use the healing potion tucked away in his bathroom cabinet.

He became bolder and moved one of his hands to the back of her head in encouragement and pressed Wren further into his lap with the other. The friction this created was glorious and he couldn't help but let out another moan. Wren made it obvious that she had wanted this just as bad as he did by gently gyrating her hips against his.

Wren worked her hands under the hem of Sheik's shirt, past his taught abs and to his nipples. She worked them into hard little nubs with her palms and fingers as Sheik's breath caught in his chest. This was a new sensation for him; any woman he had slept with previously had kept their hands' over his clothing except when they touched his manhood. Sparks of pleasurable energy caused his heartrate to accelerate while his breath came out as airy gasps.

She pulled back, gave him a mixture of a mischievous smirk and a genuine smile, which was returned, and began to work his shirt off. With some help, the garment was tossed aside and Sheik, his previous boldness forgotten, hesitantly grabbed the hem of Wren's nightshirt. He waited until Wren nodded and pulled it over her head to be tossed aside with his shirt. Her nipples were at attention from a mix of the sudden coolness and excitement, standing like small pink sentries on her perky breasts. His manhood hardened at the sight of her, he took one breast in each hand and traced his thumbs around her nipples. Wren sighed, ground her hips into Sheik's crotch once more, and found his mouth with her lips.

Sheik worked his fingers over her nipples, gently pinching and tugging the tender nubs. Wren could only moan into his mouth as she mimicked the action on him. He bucked his hardening manhood into the clothed crack of her rear; Wren smirked into the kiss and let out a small wanting noise into Sheik's mouth when his hand left her nipple for a lower destination.

She broke the kiss and gently moved Sheik's wandering hand to his side. He shot her a confused look; had Wren not wanted to go that far?

"Sheik, just this once, let me take control. Be selfish, just for tonight."

Before he could argue, before he could say something romantic or cheesy, Wren reached down and cupped his balls through the fabric of his pants. He moaned and sighed as Wren continued to massage him through his pants; finally, she gripped the waist of his pants and began to lower them. Sheik gamely lifted his hips while Wren moved the pants past his knees and ankles, moving herself off of his legs in one smooth motion.

He was left in only his dark blue boxer brief style underwear. They were perfect on him; snug, and they showed off his bulge wonderfully. Wren gently forced his knees apart and teased her way around his hips and thighs, never touching his clothed cock. She stopped just short of the hemline and barely wiggled her fingers under the tight fabric before pulling them out to tease along his thighs more.

The look on Sheik's face was exquisite. Longing and ecstasy and lust all graced his features. His eyes were focused on Wren's hands, a silent plea in them for her to continue, while his mouth was left slightly open. Whenever Wren would work her fingers up the inside of his thigh he would bite his lip and give Wren an almost pleading look.

He let a small whine escape him when Wren moved her hands away from his shorts and back down his legs. She knew exactly where to apply pressure along Sheik's thighs to cause his erection to bob and strain against its restraint. Her fingers danced their way back up his thighs, this time staying on the outside of his briefs but working her hands closer to the tent in them. She barely graced his member with her hands before working her entire body back up Sheik's.

Sheik cupped her rear as she kissed her way up his chest, under his chin and jaw, and to his lips. This kiss was far more heated than any other they had previously shared. Wren made sure to grind her hips over Sheik's cock while she gently plucked at one of his nipples.

She broke the kiss and worked her way back down his body, making sure to give one of his nipples a quick lick on the way by. She laid heavy kisses on his abs, softly biting at the muscle until Sheik was a moaning mess. Finally, she took the waistline of his briefs in her teeth and skillfully worked them over his erection and down his legs.

Before Sheik could process what had happened, his member was grabbed and stroked. Wren made sure to work his entire piece, starting at the base with a small soft patch of pubic hair to the head which was already wet from pre-cum.

It was here that Wren focused most of her attention after her initial strokes. She worked her thumb over the slit, smearing the clear pre-cum over the head and enjoying Sheik's moans and gasps the entire time. Sheik's head was back, his eyes closed and mouth open; he was completely taken by surprise by Wren's next move.

Slowly, almost agonizingly so, she ran her tongue from the base of his cock near his balls, all the way up the underside and to the head. She griped his member tightly and wiggled the very tip of her tongue over the purpling head. A soft and surprised "oh" escaped Sheik as Wren gracefully took the head of his penis into her mouth.

The fellatio was wonderful. Wren worked her way up and down Sheik's manhood, slowly acclimating herself to its length and girth, while only letting a small amount of saliva past his lips to drip down to his balls. She cradled his tender orbs in one hand, gently working them in tandem with her mouth.

Sheik desperately needed something to hold onto; it would've been awkward to reach for Wren's chest considering the position they were in, and he didn't want to place his hands on the back of her head. He settled for scooping her hair away from her face which provided him a better view of her lips moving up and down his shaft. He barely managed to keep himself from bucking his hips up and forcing himself down her throat; decorum, class, and his respect for Wren stopped him from doing so, even though he was sorely tempted.

The blowjob continued for a time, Sheik's soft gasps and moans echoing throughout the room, until Wren's jaw began to ache. She ran her tongue up the bottom side of his shaft one last time before stopping to sit back on her heals.

Sheik was a picture of perfect eroticism: his lips were slightly parted and his hair clung to his brow and neck, his muscles were tight from the intensity of the Wren's actions, and his cock stood tall and proud. Wren was a picture herself with her tussled hair and slightly pouty lips.

He didn't want this to end. No. It couldn't end here, this had to go on. Sheik moved without thinking, leaning forward into a kiss and easing Wren onto her back, cradling her head against the quilt covered floor. Wren moaned into his mouth when he ran a hand across one of her nipples only to move it further down towards her still clothed sex. She spread her legs in order to allow him to settle in between them.

Sheik had her pants off and tossed aside with speed which his tribe was famous for; he leaned back with a soft smile while still nestled between her legs.

"What? I don't wear underwear to bed…"

He smirked, "No, of course not. You're shaved too."

"All part of being a Goddess."

He quirked an eyebrow but stifled his questions; now was not the time. It was his turn to treat Wren. He bent down, gave her right nipple a quick lick and then a suck while he fingered her left nipple. She couldn't help but moan and writhe into him; her soft gasps and whines music to his ears. This position put Sheik's thigh under Wren's sex; she ground herself into it appreciatively while Sheik worked her chest.

Sheik slipped his free hand further south and, unlike Wren, was not a tease. He gently worked two fingers between her lips to work small circles around her clit. This, paired with the pressure on her nipples, was enough to cause Wren to gasp and spread her legs further.

He took this as an invitation and steadily slipped one finger into her and began to slowly pump it in and out. Electric waves of pleasure washed over Wren and she hooked her ankles behind Sheik's legs to invite him into her further. Sheik moved again, this time leaving kisses down her stomach until arriving at her sex; his finger was still working in and out of her, it was joined by another before Sheik bent to lick Wren's clit.

The soft noises Wren was making were, by far, the most erotic noises Sheik had ever heard. She wasn't one for obscene and over exaggerated moans, but instead soft gasps and whines escaped her. His head was buried between her thighs, his tongue and fingers working her, and Wren's fingers had tangled themselves into his soft hair.

He didn't just want more, he needed more. How long, how long had it been for him? Four months? Five? Six? It was different with Wren too, far more intimate and loving. She made sure to treat him and the night was not rushed; he would be spoiled tonight.

Sheik pulled back and slowed the rhythmic pumping of his fingers before gently pulling out. Wren whined with the loss of contact and sudden coolness.

"Do you want to move this to the bed?" Sheik's question was honest, he didn't want Wren to be uncomfortable on the floor with only a quilt and some pillow cushioning her from the stone.

Wren shook her head, "I, um, it's going to be messy—" she hesitated before continuing, "I don't want to mess up your sheets."

"I didn't nail that quilt to the floor you know. It is in fact mobile."

"Well fine smart ass, I didn't want to ruin the flow of the evening. It's going very well for me right now and I didn't want to stop."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, "And moving the quilt to the bed would do that?"

"Apparently!"

He stood and extended a hand to help her up before grabbing the quilt and throwing it over the top of his comforter.

"There, now was that so hard?"

Wren plopped herself down on the bed, bouncing on the mattress for a bit before settling and giving Sheik her best "come hither" look.

Sheik stood over Wren before leaning down to give her a kiss and gently pushing her back onto the mattress. The kiss continued while they worked themselves into a more comfortable position with Sheik over Wren.

His fingers once again worked themselves into her; a totally unneeded, albeit appreciated, action since Wren was still wet from Sheik's previous care. Wren reached between the two of them and cupped Sheik's balls before giving him a few quick strokes. More pre-cum dripped onto the shaft's head where Wren swirled it around with her thumb.

They were both ready, and they both knew it.

Sheik pushed himself back and positioned himself before Wren's lower lips. She still gripped his manhood and set the pace for his entrance, starting slow, adjusting, and then adding a bit more. Sheik remained patient and caring; he was unsure how long it had been since Wren had had sex and, besides, this was not something that could be rushed. That would come later when they were more comfortable with each other.

He was completely buried in her before Wren moved her hand to join her other one on his back. Sheik was in Heaven and wanted nothing more than to rut into her hard and fast.

Finally Wren emitted a small whine, "Sheik, move."

And he complied.

Sheik's thrusts were slow at first and then with increasing intensity. Wren knew what to do to drive Sheik wild; she moved her hand from his back to work her clit and then a nipple and when Sheik's hips increased their pace, she dug her nails back into his shoulder.

Over time Sheik's thrusts became frenzied. He buried his head next to Wren's neck, she responded by crossing her ankles over Sheik's lower back, which in turn encouraged Sheik to thrust faster and deeper. He reared back, grabbed Wren's legs, and placed her ankles on his shoulders. Wren gripped the sheets and moaned with this slight change in position. Sheik's hips were working overtime pushing his manhood into her until he finally came with a few quick thrusts. Wren's orgasm arrived with his, her legs twitching on his shoulders.

Sheik practically collapsed while still fully buried in her. It took a few minutes before Wren's body calmed down from her orgasm and she unwound her legs from Sheik's back where they had fallen with him. They stayed like this for a time before he propped himself up on his elbows to face Wren, gave her a small kiss and pulled out.

Wren shuddered a bit, "Ew."

"What's ew?"

"You have no idea how gross that feels. I can feel, like, everything dripping out. It's not pleasant."

Sheik looked down between them and smirked, "So, it's a good thing we put the quilt down?"

"I told y ou." She sat up slightly and grimaced, "I need to clean up, you're welcome to join me."

She got off the bed and headed for the bathroom; Sheik followed in her wake, it was an offer he could not refuse.

* * *

The morning came far too quickly for the couple, even without interruptions they were still roused around eight by the sun streaming through the window. They had slept naked, spooning each other under Sheik's quilt, the stained one from the previous night was tossed aside.

Wren stirred first, disentangled herself from Sheik's embrace and worked her way to the bathroom. When she returned, Sheik had gotten out of bed and was in the process of dressing himself. His blue pants clung to his hips and thighs perfectly. Sheik had also found a bottle barely longer and wider than Wren's pinky finger with a strange pumpkin orange liquid inside it.

"You need to drink that as soon as you can. I should've given it to you last night, but, well, I forgot."

Wren had pulled her pajama pants back on, she had forgotten to bring clothes from her room last night, and worked the tiny cork out of the bottle, "What is it?"

"A potion that will kill any of my seed still inside you. You won't get pregnant."

Wren downed the potion in one quick swallow, it didn't really taste like much of anything, "You know, I've been thinking about that. I haven't gotten my period since I've been here, and I've been wondering if part of the 'perfect body' package deal is not getting pregnant unless I want to."

Sheik pulled on a shirt, cutting off Wren's view of his abs, "That would be incredibly convenient, and does make sense. But, still, better safe than sorry until we know for sure."

Wren nodded and finished dressing, "Hey, I didn't have a nightmare last night did I?"

"A small one, but you calmed down quickly. Either Ganondorf's mage is weakening, or far more likely, your subconscious is getting stronger."

"Or" Wren's lips arced into a playful smile, "I was exhausted from last night's activities."

Sheik blushed, "Yes, or that."

"Oh come on, don't get modest and embarrassed. Seriously, if you get like that every time we have sex-"

"Every time?"

"Oh my dear sweet boy, did you really think that was the only time I'd want to sleep with you? Not a chance! I think it's safe to say that we are a couple now."

Sheik scoffed, "Yeah, I guess you could say that. I've never met a woman as open about sex as you, that's why I was taken aback."

Wren shrugged on her way out the door, "Must be something left over from my past life. Or maybe I'm just tired of all of this courtly old fashionedness. Now, don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I don't want escorted to breakfast."

"Of course."

With a wink she was out the door.


	25. Chapter 24

AN: This chapter only got a once over by me. Sorry for typos/minor plot holes. I was eager to submit something.

* * *

The Twili were the only left over guests from the Harvest Ball; all of the other guests that had spent the night had already vacated the castle after downing a healing potion or two to help with hangovers. Breakfast would take place in the small dining hall with the Royals, Sheik, Wren, the Twili, Chief Advisor Horwell, and Chief Mage Fyn.

Henrietta had, miraculously, revived the previous night's food into the morning's breakfast. A shredded potato hash had been perfectly fried to a golden crisp with shredded meat. Fruit and day old bread (revived by homemade preserves) were passed around with coffee, milk, juice, and tea. For a time the only sound in the room was forks against the plates and glasses gently tapping the table each time they were set down. They were all still waking up and, besides, they had all the time in the world.

Finally, after all the dishes had been cleared, Horwell cleared his throat, "My Queen, I think it's time to discuss the Like Like in the room. Last night you met with our guests, the rest of us need to know why."

Zelda placed her tea back on the saucer and nodded towards Z'a'atar, "Should I tell them, or would you rather?"

The Twili sighed, "I can. I know the details better and feel I can get the entire story out faster." He faced the siblings, "Please do not interrupt."

Z're nodded eagerly, much like a child trying too hard to prove her worth, while Z'dlam barely tilted his chin. He was trying to stay brave, trying to act like an adult when he clearly wasn't ready.

"I guess I will start with the destruction of not only our village, but our entire way of life. The Twili had lived in uneasy peace with the Gerudo up until a few years ago; we were not on the best of terms with the tribe, but they caused us no harm as long as we didn't encroach on what they deemed their 'property.'

"Times eventually changed and the Gerudo cut off all contact with us. They no longer sent scouts to periodically trade with us, nor did they send any spies to attempt to steal our secrets. They just stopped. We didn't know what to make of this at first, but after some careful deliberation, our elders sent our best spies on a reconnaissance mission to their main city.

"The spies never returned. We grew more worried."

Z're looked down to her hands, the only movement around the table while Z'a'atar continued, "That should've been a sign that something was amiss. A sign that we needed to take drastic measures. A sign to contact you."

Horwell interrupted, "Why didn't you?"

"We were scared. There was so much deliberation, too much really, about whether to contact you. We decided against it. What if you saw this as an opportunity to attack us? We had lost contact with Hyrule ages ago. What if you refused to help? What if, even if you did decide to help, it was too late? No. We took the path of urgent action. That proved to be a deadly mistake.

"We sent an ambassador along with the appropriate amount of men to contact the Gerudo. We would not mention the missing spies, but instead we would discuss trade. Avoid war by extending the olive branch.

"We waited several days until one member of the envoy returned. He was nearly dead and had been tied into the saddle of his horse; both his legs were broken along with one wrist. He also had an eye gouged out and several deep scars stretching across his face. He had a sack tied to his broken wrist, weighing it down further. When we finally got him off the horse and to the infirmary, curiosity got the best of us and we looked in the sack."

Z'a'atar stopped and stared each member of the meeting directly in the eye, "Heads. It was full of the heads of the ambassador's party."

A tear worked its way down Z're's cheek as she barely suppressed a sniffle. Z'dlam finally lowered his stoic gaze, a brief look of pain and anger washed over his features.

"My brother, their father, was a member of that party. His mouth had been stuffed with a note from the Gerudo warning of war. They stated that they were aware that the Triforce of Power had been hidden with us and they would raze everything to the ground if we did not surrender it."

Zelda's voice was soft, "But you didn't. You let them burn everything down. Let them destroy your entire life. Let them kill your entire family. You are lucky to be alive and we owe you a debt that can never be repaid."

Z'a'atar let a weak smile play across his lips, "Your aid in defeating the darkness that destroyed us is all the repayment we need. We knew where the Triforce was hidden, and even though we didn't fully grasp its importance, we were certainly not going to give it over to the people who had murdered our men."

Horwell spoke up again, "Is it still hidden? How secure is it?"

"Incredibly. Only the Twili can open the temple that houses the Triforce, and, as far as I know, only the Twili ever knew where the temple was in the first place. It is well hidden, I doubt Ganondorf will be able to find it."

"Are there spells protecting it?" Wren could already see the gears in Fyn's mind working out ways to get to the Triforce. Spells would only make things more difficult.

"No. No spells, but there are—" he hesitated, "guardians. Less than pleasant ones. When Din came to us she wanted to make sure her Triforce was secure, and we placed several traps and monsters in the temple."

Link sighed, "Great. So just like any other temple ever? What kind of traps and monsters are we talking about?"

"The text is vague, and the original plans of the temple have been lost to time, so we only have oral tradition. I have heard rumors of basic traps, such as trip wires and falling floors, to more advanced ones that incorporate poison darts and spears. The monsters could be anything from Stalfos to Redeads to Skulltalas."

The last word triggered something from Wren's memory and she let our and involuntary shudder.

 _"Cold?"_

 _"I don't like spiders. I really would rather not visit a place that might be full of them."_

 _"You've stood up to a Shadow Sheikah, a Skulltala will be nothing."_

 _"See, you say that…."_

Z'a'atar was still talking, "But, I think with the proper men as well as the Goddess's vessel, we should be able to make easy work of the temple. We will need to gather the proper supplies of course-"

Horwell interrupted, "I don't think it's wise to take Wren along on this journey. She is barely trained, and even though she shows natural talent, I don't believe going into a temple would be a good choice. I worry about attack and ambush."

Zelda nodded, "That is my concern as well. A party with Link, his men, a Sheik, and Wren would draw far too much unwanted attention from the Gerudos—"

Link scoffed, "So we will travel at night. I wasn't planning on moving during the day anyway."

"What then will you do during the daylight hours? You can't very well hide in the desert and this will take more than one day of riding."

Link turned to Z'a'atar, "Are there any outposts that the Gerudo are unaware of? Any friendly stopping points that would be willing to hide a few weary travelers?"

"A few dotted here and there. Mostly trading outposts and a few watering holes. Once we pass the final one though, we will be on our own for a full night's ride. It should only take us two nights to arrive at the temple."

Horwell's voice was soft, "But that's if everything goes as planned. Who is to say that the Gerudo are prepared for you to arrive at the temple—"

"They don't know where the temple is—"

"Then the outposts. What would you do should they have those monitored?"

"Then we will fight, and kill, anyone who stands in our way."

The group was silent so Z'a'atar continued, "We need the vessel anyway; she is the only one who will actually be able to access and hold the Triforce. We" he gestured to his niece and nephew, "are needed to enter the temple, but she is needed to get the treasure inside."

Zelda rested her chin on the tips of her steepled fingers, "And Link won't be able to possess it?"

It was Fyn's turn to speak, "Even if Din hadn't expressly forbidden her Triforce from ever being held by mortal hands again, the fact that he already possess a piece of the Triforce is no guarantee that he will be able to hold this one. Those artifacts have more magic in them than we will ever understand, who is to say that it won't tear him apart by the force of it."

The Queen faced Horwell, "Is letting Wren leave the castle wise? She runs the risk of capture, even with the guard, but I don't see another reasonable option."

Horwell pursed his lips and shot Z'a'atar a firm glare, "You are certain Wren is the only one that can physically possess the Triforce?"

The Twili did not lower his gaze, his violet eyes staring pointedly back at Horwell, "Positive. Din trusted us to hide her Triforce, she gave our ancestors specific instructions on how to do so, as well as instructions on how to handle it. I doubt she will be able to deny Hylia's vessel access."

Wren finally spoke, her voice was soft but sure, "Is it likely we will meet Din in this temple? Is she still there?"

Z'a'atar broke the staring contest with Horwell to face Wren, "There is a chance she will make an appearance, but no, she is not there in a dormant state. The temple is not her home, just where she hid her Triforce."

Sheik, who had remained quiet throughout the entirety of breakfast, considered Z'a'atar, "And what will we do should Din grace us with her presence? Do we have any need for concern?"

"No. I have studied the texts numerous times, and it seems that Din left us the Triforce on good terms—"

"She will not be irate when we trespass and take the Triforce?"

Z'a'atar waved Horwell's question to the side, "I have no reason to believe so."

Zelda cleared her throat, "Din may be the most—" she made a small gesture while searching for the right word, "temperamental of the Sisters, but she will understand why we are taking the Triforce given the circumstances. She is not a fool."

The group sat in silence for a moment until Link stood, his chair grating against the wooden floor, "Well, that settles it I guess. I need to gather up a few men and supplies. When do we leave?"

Z'a'atar also stood, his niece and nephew mimicking the action, "Tomorrow evening, if it pleases you. That will give us all night to ride to the village on the outskirts of the desert, we can spend the following day there and then strike out again the next night. Please, only select your two best men and pack light."

Link acknowledged Sheik, "So that's you and probably General Rusl," he faced Z'a'atar once more, "Can I assume any outpost we stop at will have the essentials for travel?"

The Twili nodded and Link continued on, "Good. So clothing, weapons, food, water, and whatever other miscellaneous gear we can fit on our horses." He faced Wren, "You will need to be disguised somehow. Do you still have that cloak that Sha'Lyn gifted to you?"

"Of course."

"That will work. Do you feel safe riding Tempest on your own?"

Wren scrunched her eyebrows, the same spikey worm that worked its way through her gut on the night she arrived was busy again.

 _"_ _Wren? Are you okay?"_

 _"Yeah, just nervous for some reason."_

Sheik stayed silent in her mind and Wren continued verbally, "Um. Yeah, I do. I think so long as we stay close together I should be fine. If it comes down to it we can tether him to another horse and I can ride with Sheik."

Link nodded, "Of course. I need to get with Rusl and prep our gear," he faced the Twili, "Use the rest of this day and tomorrow to rest and recuperate," and faced Wren, "You get whatever training in today and tomorrow you can. Make sure your weapons are in order and only take those that you are comfortable using. Don't overexert yourself, this is a long journey, we will possibly be away from the castle for over a week."

Finally he turned to his wife and gave her a cheeky smirk, "Promise not to burn the whole Kingdom down while I am gone."

Zelda stood and worked her way around the table, "You know, I have ran this Kingdom without you before. You just come back with everyone and in one piece."

"Naturally."


	26. Chapter 25

AN: School starts back up this week, so I figured I would churn out two chapters that I can be proud of. Thank you all for all your support with your favorites and follows! I do want to give a heads up, because school is starting the updates will, once again, be few far and in between... sorry in advance for that. I also know where I want this story to go from here, but I don't quite know how to get there. I really, really, really, don't want to write a bunch of filler but I'm not ready for the final showdown. I will need some time to mull things over, so your patience is greatly appreciated.

* * *

"So we have one more full night of travel before we get to the second outpost, then we rest for a few hours, then we go again and hopefully get to this temple sometime tomorrow evening?"

Sheik nodded as he removed his traveling cloak; Wren, Link, and himself were sharing a room at an inn in a small no-name outcropping on the edge of the desert. General Rusl, a strong and serious man in his forties, settled in a cot placed in the hall between the Royal's and the Twili's rooms; he would act as guard throughout the day as he had been trained to be a light sleeper. The Twili were all bunked in the room next door; thankfully, the inn keeper hadn't asked any questions when Z'a'atar requested two rooms for the seven of them plus a cot. In fact, the man behind the desk didn't even glance twice at the group.

Not that they looked much different from any other of the other travelers the inn keeper saw pass through; Link had seen to that and made sure they all dressed as commonly as possible. Weapons were hidden, or in Link and Rusl's cases strapped to their hips instead of boldly worn on their back, hair was tied back or tucked into hats, faces were covered by cloth designed to keep sand out of the nose and mouth, and the clothing was made of simple brown fabric.

Wren had remained hooded until she got into the room and a story about acting as guides was concocted should the Twili be questioned; Link, Sheik, Rusl and Wren would remain silent in the background while Z'a'atar and his kin dealt with people. The residents of the realm knew the Royals' faces more than they did the Twili, and word would soon spread that the King himself was traveling with the Vessel and The Guardian.

The three Twili did stand out amongst the handful of people that resided in the village, but even then, they didn't draw many stares. Z'a'atar, Z'dlam, and Z're all held their heads high as they led their companions to the inn.

"They saw us on our way to the castle" Z'a'atar explained in his soft tone before departing to his quarters for the day, "We were a bit of a shock to them then, but now it seems as though we are old news."

"And you can be sure they will not betray us?" Sheik had been on edge for the entire night's ride; Wren doubted he would sleep at all until they were back in the safety of the castle.

"Certainly. What would they gain from selling us to Ganondorf? He likely doesn't even know this place exists."

That wasn't at all improbable. The village was tiny; roughly four dozen small homes, an inn with only five rooms, a single business that sold a little bit of everything but a lot of nothing, and a trading post were all that made up the place. The houses were built into, and out of, the rocky earth; sand blown from the desert wind would not penetrate these walls, they would stay cool during the day and warm in the evening when the temperatures dropped.

"And once we get to this temple," Wren continued after hanging her cloak on a peg hammered into the rocky wall, "We just have to find the Triforce?"

Link had sat himself down on one of the beds, the mattress sinking with his weight, and shucked off his boots, "It won't be that easy. Remember what Z'a'atar said, only the Twili can open the temple, there's going to be some interesting traps and adversaries in that place. I hope he's right about the lack of spells; Rusl is skilled in arms and brute strength, but we would've been better off with Fyn if there are spells."

"Have you ever been in a temple?"

Link began to remove his weapons and place them methodically around his bed, "Not one that hadn't already been explored. The Links of the past all have though, and I have read up on that, but the only temples I've been in had already been purged of dark magic and enemies."

"Do the Twili know what's in this temple?"

"They have texts on it," Link shrugged, "I'm sure they have an idea, and at the very least they know how to get through it, but I don't know if they know specifics."

"So be ready for anything."

"Pretty much. Have you worked on Din's Fire with Zelda yet? That might come in handy."

Wren shook her head, "Only Nayru's Love and my healing abilities. She mentioned starting Din's Fire once we returned now that I can summon a proper Nayru's Love."

Link only nodded and placed one of his knives under his pillow.

The conversation dwindled while they got ready for bed; Z'a'atar had requested blackout curtains be put in both of the rooms so they could rest without trying to fight the sunlight. The inn keeper only requested five more rupees for the trouble and sent a chambermaid to set up the curtains. They were immersed in a pleasant dimness that would be all too easy to sleep in.

Rusl would have to sleep through the light streaming through the hallway window, as well as any other travelers or workers wandering the halls. When Wren asked him how he would get any sleep, he simply waved her off and assured her that he would get enough rest.

Each person had their own bed made up of a wooden frame that squeaked with every move, a sheeted mattress that was barely larger than Rusl's cot, two feather pillows, and a thin, but somehow warm and soft, quilt. It was rustic but not the worst place any of them had ever stayed.

One of the first things Sheik did after each of them had taken a turn in the communal baths down the hallway was drag his bed so it was set directly across the doorway. No one would be going in or out without stepping over Sheik first.

Wren arched her eyebrow at him, "Really that worried? Rusl's right outside, he will know if anyone's coming or going."

"Only a precaution. I don't like to be away from the castle, and I don't like staying in a village where I know no one. Our next stop will, hopefully, be at the Desert Sheikah's outpost. I will feel much more secure there.

"And besides," he continued on with a friendly wink towards Wren, "I know at least one person in this room tends to sleepwalk, and I really don't like the idea of her walking out of this room."

"You think I am going to do that even though we are sleeping during the day? I was hoping I wouldn't."

"I doubt Ganondorf's Mage knows your sleep schedule, it's probably some sort of curse, or maybe something left over from your arrival here. Fyn said that no potion could help them and only killing the Mage, or perhaps your mental strength increasing, could stop them.

"Either way, I really don't want you walking out of this room."

Link was already reclining on his bed, his eyes closed and his head on the pillow, "Sheik's always been cautious Wren, it's just what he does. He worries. He guards. He's a natural born protector."

He turned his head to face Sheik, "Just try to get some sleep. You do no good to us tired."

* * *

The room was dark and cool; the three occupants had slept soundly for the last six hours. They had missed the complementary lunch that was provided by the cook at the inn, they had slept right through the store opening, seeing only two customers, and then closing for the day. They even slept through a small commotion when the maid accidentally shattered a plate in the kitchen and Rusl thundered down the hall to investigate.

They even almost slept through Wren's sleepwalking. It was different this time; there was no gagging, no clawing at her face and eyes, and her movements were far more fluid. She did not shuffle, did not need the wall to support herself, but instead moved about with fluidity and grace that would suggest she was awake.

She was stealthy, her bare feet making no noise on the cool stone floor; in fact, Sheik and Link would not have waked if she hadn't pulled down the curtains to let the harsh sunlight into the room.

Sheik was the first to react. He moved on instinct, straight to Wren to try the familiar methods of getting her back into bed. It only took a few extra moments for Link to shake off his sleepiness. He stood but chose to observe instead of interrupt.

Wren remained at the window, her back to her roommates, the light casting her in a rough silhouette. When Sheik gently grabbed her shoulder, she pivoted and flashed him a distorted, almost grotesque, smile.

Sheik recoiled from pure shock. Wren's eyes were not the same soft teal as before, but were instead an all over milky white. Strange thin, grey lines traced through them like spider webs. The whites did not swirl like Fyn's, but instead remained stagnant. There wasn't even an outline for her iris.

She turned back to the window, "I know where you, we I guess, are." Her voice was not her own, it was far too deep and masculine.

"And now that I know where you are," Wren continued on, her back to the men, "My job here is done."

Sheik narrowed his eyes, "Who are you?"

Wren turned, her white eyes wide, the same harlequin smile on her face, "And why my dear Sheikah, would I ever tell you that? Your mask is off by the way. How unprofessional."

Link had worked himself close to Wren, the dagger from under his pillow held in his left hand, "You're Ganondorf's Mage."

Wren scoffed as she eyed the dagger, "You do realize that if you attack me, you will only be hurting your Vessel. Besides, I was just leaving," she faced Sheik and stared at him straight on, "I am glad that I finally got to see your face. You're nothing special. So much excitement and secrecy. You're just a man."

Sheik held his temper, his features never betraying the hatred bubbling in his blood and Wren continued, "She thinks very highly of you. You know that of course. I can see it, I can see everything you two have done together, its playing like performance in her head. Well, I did have to probe for it, but she didn't really put up much of a fight. She loves thinking about you, and once I got into her head it was easy to access. You two have been very naughty; such a short courting period before jumping into bed with each other."

Link was less skilled in hiding his emotions, his words came out in a growl, "You possessed her in her sleep. She was vulnerable. You are nothing more than a coward that has mastered basic spells."

"I would hardly call them basic, Your Highness. But, unlike my cohorts, I know when it is time to go. Don't worry, I won't make a mess of her on my way out."

Wren closed her eyes and began to fall. Sheik managed to catch her before she hit the ground and gently cradled her as she began to wake up. When her eyes opened, they were back to the same soft teal as before.

She blinked, "Ah Hell. I slept walked didn't I? Did I try to leave?" She eyed the fallen curtain, "I did that didn't I? Sorry."

Their expressions were opposites; Sheik furrowed his brow while Link's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair.

"What? What did I do?"

"You don't remember?"

Wren shook her head which was Sheik's cue to fill her in.

Her jaw dropped, "Oh. Oh shit. They know where we are. We need to leave then. So much for the Mage not knowing my sleep schedule. Din, Nayru, and Farore, he must have some sort of way of knowing when I fall asleep!"

Link nodded, he had already scooted Sheik's bed out of the doorway, the noise prompting Rusl to enter the room.

The soldier looked like he hadn't slept all day. His dark tan hair was tussled, his garb was wrinkled, and yet his eyes were alert; his hand rested on the hilt of his blade, ready for attack.

He quickly assessed the situation before him, diverting his gaze to allow Sheik to re-cowl himself, "What happened?"

Link elaborated while Wren and Sheik haphazardly stuffed belongings into bags.

Rusl ran his hand through his hair, his fingers snagging on tangles near his scalp, "And what about this town? What happens when Ganondorf charges in with Farore knows what type of army? We can't abandon them."

The King was in his element, "I will go alert the Twili of today's events. They will then have to talk to whoever is in charge of this town. Try to talk them into evacuating it and fleeing to Castle Town."

He faced Sheik, "You need to draft a letter to Zelda explaining the situation. That letter will go with the leader of this place. If it comes to it, I will issue a Ruling that will require all the inhabitants of this place to flee. Wren and Rusl will stay with you until I return from visiting with the Twili. Should the people be stubborn and refuse to leave, we will have to do whatever we can to persuade them."

It took five more minutes for Sheik, Link, and Rusl to finalize the plans. They would allow the people a half an hour (far too long as far as Sheik was concerned) to gather their belongings and leave the village. Then, they would retreat to the Sheikah outpost (something to which Rusl disagreed, only coming around once Link approved it), rest for the remainder of the night and following day, and then travel to the temple the next night.

* * *

The people of the tiny desert outpost were initially unwilling to leave. Wren couldn't blame them, this was their home, and who were the Twili to try to tell them to leave; the inhabitants were suspicious, skeptical, scared, and stubborn. Link was forced to reveal himself which whipped the town into a panicked frenzy. Bags were packed, the available pack animals were loaded with whatever they could carry, and children clung to their parents who were trying to put on a brave face. Chickens were corralled into wicker cages while dogs romped about excitedly.

Sheik's letter was given to a man acting as town mayor (he was really nothing more than a figure head, someone the people looked to whenever a problem presented itself), and a very hasty guard made up of all the young men in the town was assembled. These teenagers and young adults had never held a weapon before, let alone guarded an entire village from possible attack. The "weapons" they carried were nothing more than shovels, pitchforks, and a few antique family swords that would surely break once they made contact with anything harder than a feather pillow.

"I should go with them." Rusl was on edge. He understood full well that these people were now refugees and would need an insider in Castle Town. He had appointed the fittest men to lead the villagers across Hyrule Field, but his faith in them was not strong.

Link seriously considered his General, "You would be leaving Wren—"

"She has you, Sheik, and the Twili as guards. Perhaps some Desert Sheikah would be willing to act as escort. The people need me more. It will help put their minds' at ease knowing they have a Royal General guiding them."

"If you are attacked—"

"I will die defending innocent people. You will promote Rohan, she is perfectly capable of leading your men."

Link glanced at Wren; she had put her cloak back on, the hood covering her eyes, the lower half of her face was obscured by the cloth from before, "I trust your judgement Rusl. Guard these people, keep them safe. You are right, Wren will have plenty of guard with us."

"Don't forget, I'm not totally helpless. These people," Wren eyed the crowd forming near the town's gates, "Might just be."

Rusl shook Link's hand and departed for his horse. The villagers had five more minutes to gather any random belongings and they would leave their town.

Wren and Link wandered away to find Sheik; his job was to ensure that all of the homes were abandoned and that nothing of importance was left behind. Sheik was on the final house when the duo approached.

"Rusl will be going with the villagers. You, me, Wren, and the Twili will ride without him."

Sheik nodded, "That's a wise choice." He closed the door to the house behind him and gave it an extra little tug to make sure it was truly latched.

"When will these people be able to return?"

Sheik shrugged, "Hopefully soon. The best we can hope for is Ganondorf not burning this entire place to the ground. Realistically though, this place will not be around much longer."

"Then what?"

It was Link's turn to answer Wren's question, "They will be welcome in Castle Town as long as they want to stay. If they want to make it their permeant home they can, if not, they can always try to come back and rebuild. But who's to say that Ganondorf will burn this place down? He might not waste his time on it. Right now, we need to focus on getting you to the temple."

And so they turned back to the Twili who were near the entrance to the village, mounted their horses, and rode in the opposite direction as Rusl and the now homeless villagers.

* * *

They didn't arrive at the Sheikah outpost until after sunset, and their welcome was not a warm one; a single arrow was shot at them before Sheik could ride ahead and alert the sentries of their arrival. The shot was perfectly aimed, landing directly between Ides and Tempest in warning.

Sheik held up his hand before Link or the Twili could do something rash, "They want us to stop. So we will stop. If they wanted us to turn around, we would've known it by now."

Wren narrowed her eyes at the outpost, in the dark it looked like nothing more than a wall with no entrance or guard towers visible. The wall stretched for a small distance in either direction and then turned at sharp ninety degree angles to protrude back; Wren guessed it made a square around the outpost. It blended in perfectly in the dark since the Desert Sheikahs had opted out of putting up torches or other lights along the outside of it.

The cold night air and nerves were starting to get to Wren, "So, um, how long do we wait?"

Sheik's voice was soft, nearly a whisper, "Until they see fit to send a guard or a party. They are probably sizing us up right now, trying to figure out who we are. They will be able to tell we are armed from our cloaks, but they won't be able to see just exactly who we are."

Wren shivered in her saddle, "They can see us that well in the dark?"

Sheik nodded, "Like the Shadow Sheikah, this tribe does most of their dealings at night. They have excellent night vision as well as perfect stealth."

An unfamiliar voice behind them caught the entire troupe off guard, "You flatter us Guardian. Please, tell us what brings you, the Vessel, the King, and three Twili outsiders to our humble village?"

Wren's heart jumped into her throat and, like the others, she turned her horse to face the direction the voice had come from. Before them stood a lone Desert Sheikah, a female judging by bump in her chest wrappings, leaning casually against a long spear. Like the dignitaries Wren saw at the Harvest Ball, this Sheikah's hair was shorn close to her scalp and her lower face was masked with a solid cloth. No sign of footprints in the sand or any other trail betrayed her arrival.

Sheik broke the thick tension by letting out a small chuckle, "You were at the Harvest Ball weren't you? The apprentice to the dignitary."

Wren eyed the woman before them, she could barely make out any discerning features in the darkness; how Sheik knew she was one of the two at the Ball was anyone's guess.

"I am, but that doesn't answer my question."

"We are here seeking refuge for the remainder of tonight and tomorrow. We plan on leaving tomorrow evening as soon as twilight sets. As for the details, well, that is for your Tribe's Leader's ears only."

She cocked her head as she considered Sheik. After a very brief moment of hesitation she finally agreed to take them into the outpost. An unspoken agreement was made for them to keep their weapons so long as they kept them sheathed.

" _Stay close to me in here."_

" _Wouldn't have wandered off if you paid me."_

The entrance to the outpost blended in perfectly with the rest of the wall; Wren would not have been able to find the concealed switch, which swung a large door open into the outpost, in the daylight. The Desert Sheikah organized their village by using long communal buildings made from whatever material they could find. Wren saw walls made of stone, clay, wood, and even some brick; all of the roofs were made of thatched leaves and reeds. The buildings had no doors or windows, but were instead wide open on either end, allowing desert wind to flow freely.

The kitchen and dining hall acted as one building, the fires from tandoori ovens were still burning and the smell of cooked meat wafted out of them. Nearby was a smaller building with curtains concealing the entrance; judging by the damp sand, this building acted as a bath of sorts. Wren recognized a training ground full of straw stuffed dummies and weapons along with what could have been either a shop or a trading post.

A few sparse buildings provided more privacy but the majority of the activity took place in the long buildings. The Desert Sheikah, who introduced herself as Nour, led them to one of the few buildings with a door and a solid roof. She hammered on the door three times before a tall, elderly, and rather gaunt man answered. He was garbed in the same silken clothing as Nour, but his hair was not shorn close to his scalp; instead, it fell in a long gray braid to the small of his back.

Nour lowered her gaze, "The outsiders have requested an audience."

The man nodded and gestured from them to come inside, Nour kept her gaze to the ground and remained outside of the closed door.

The house was dimly lit with a small fire, casting everyone in shadow and causing their silhouettes to elongate against the walls. For one person, it was a comfortable enough home; a few chairs, a bed, a handful of cooking utensils and other personal belongings were all present, along with an assortment of spears, ropes, and chains mounted to the walls.

The man gestured for them to sit; the Twili gamely took to the floor to allow the others chairs as the Elder sat in a high backed chair near the fire. The man was as impressive sitting down as he was standing.

"I am Elder Alessio, Chieftain of the Desert Sheikah. Tell me, what brings a King, a Guardian, a Vessel, and three Twili into my village?" Alessio's voice was soft and gravelly from age, and when he spoke the kerchief blocking his mouth fluttered with each breath.

Link eyed Sheik in a way that would suggest they were having a mental conversation, something that did not go unmissed by Alessio, "I would appreciate all words be spoken aloud in my presence. I do not care for secrecy and will not hesitate to throw you out."

Sheik cleared his throat, "Forgive us Elder. The King was just curious as to who would do the speaking in this situation. He has appointed me diplomat for the evening."

"Good. Good. I would rather speak with a Sheikah over a Hylian any day. However," he turned to face Wren, who was doing her poker face, "I would be curious to speak with the Vessel. Her aura is stronger than any I have ever seen. And that is not just from the Goddess taking up residence in her, no, it is her own."

Wren swallowed and nodded but kept her mouth shut. Alessio may have been old, but he was far from Grandfatherly.

Alessio continued on, "But first, I do need to know what brought you here. I would also like to know why you forced an evacuation of that village. We had a trading envoy return empty handed with word that the place was abandoned and then you show up. It does not take an Elder to connect the two."

When Sheik spoke, his tone was soft but strong, "We are traveling with the Twili in search of the Triforce of Power. Z'a'atar and his niece and nephew are acting as our guides to the temple which houses it. We stopped at the village to rest for the day, Wren was possessed by what we assume to be Ganondorf's Mage, and were forced to evacuate the village for the people's safety. They are being escorted to Castle Town now by the King's top General."

Wren didn't dare reach out to Sheik mentally. What was he playing at telling this man all of their secrets?

Without so much as a side glance Sheik reached out to her and answered her question with four simple words, _"He said no secrets."_

Alessio leaned back in his chair, the wood creaking with his movement, "I see. So the whispers are true? Ganondorf has returned to this world?"

Sheik nodded, "He is the one who brought Wren to this world in the first place. She is not from this time or place originally."

"How did he know who to take?"

"We do not know that. From what I can surmise, his Mage may have known where she was. Perhaps, even though the Goddess was dormant, Wren sent out some sort of aura that the Mage was able to latch onto."

Alessio shook his head, "That's doubtful, especially with the time and space gap." He turned to face Wren again, "Perhaps it was your destiny to come here. It could be that the Goddess wished you to come to this place and brought you here by any means necessary. Can I assume you did not fall right into Ganondorf's lap when you first arrived here?"

Wren nodded and Alessio went on, "I would guess that the Goddess somehow persuaded or inspired the strongest Mage in the realm to bring you here. The fact that Ganondorf was reborn would mean that she would want to you here. Perhaps she used the strongest Mage to bring you here, interfered on the actual transporting process, and will eventually use you to bring about the Mage's and Ganondorf's downfall."

A heavy silence permeated the room while Alessio's words sunk in. Hylia had used Ganondorf's Mage to bring her Vessel to this world in order to protect it. This would mean that Hylia believed this reincarnation of Ganondorf was far too strong for any Hero to defeat. It also indicated that, contrary to what Wren believed, Fyn was not the strongest Mage in the realm.

A shiver went up Wren's spine as self-doubt crept into her brain.

" _How am I supposed to destroy a man that a Hero couldn't even beat?"_

Thankfully, Hylia answered, _"With my help and with the help of the Royals and Sheik. You have allies in this world Wren. You will have to face Ganondorf alone, but not his army, and not before you have been properly trained."_

Alessio was talking again, "You have my fullest hospitality. Nour will see that you receive the privacy you deserve. Stay as long as you need."

Sheik nodded and stood, "We will leave tomorrow night. Thank you Elder." And before the man could request a private audience with Wren, Sheik shuffled them out the door.

* * *

The following night came with a gust of cool wind. The desert sand whirled around the horses' hooves and legs in small eddies and the group was forced to bow their heads against the breeze. Z'a'atar assured them that they would arrive at the temple before dawn, probably around four in the morning, which would allow them the day and following night to explore the place. After their job was done, they would retreat back to the Sheikah outpost, stay for a small time, and then leave for Castle Town.

Z'a'atar lead the group to a sightless point on the edge of the horizon. Sand, dunes, sparse cacti, and rocks were the only scenery. Not that it mattered anyway, the half-moon barely cast enough light for them to appreciate their surroundings. They had passed a decrepit sign next to a wooden fence half buried in the sand; Link pointed out that they marked the end of the Hyrule Kingdom and that they were now entering the Twili's Realm.

"It isn't much further now, the temple is on the outskirts of our Realm." Z'a'atar had tried to reassure them, but that seemed like hours ago.

Time was strange in the desert. Hours felt like days, and minutes ticked by slowly. The passing of the moon was the only marker that time had passed, otherwise they could have only been on horseback for five minutes or five hours for all any of them knew.

Wren's stomach had been bothering her for the past several minutes. The same irritation from the night they were attacked by Dark Link was plaguing her again. She subtly moved Tempest closer to Sheik.

Finally, Z'a'atar stopped and scanned the surroundings. He dismounted his horse, unlatched what Wren assumed to be a tall walking stick from a sling on the saddle, and waded out into the sand.

Once Z'a'atar was up to his knees in a dune, the others dismounted and followed. Wren was fully expecting to sink up to her neck into the sand, but she was pleasantly surprised to find an ancient stone foundation beneath her feet. It was concealed in the sand, forcing Wren to tread lightly, but it provided enough support for her and the others.

Z'a'atar began to rise, the sand sluffing off of him in small rivets. Stairs. There were stairs buried below the sand. Once the others were next to him, Z'a'atar kicked sand off of the foundation, revealing a tile with a single spiral swirl engraved in it. In the center of the swirl was a small divot, in which Z'a'atar placed in staff.

The ground shook and the staff glowed a bright teal blue. Z'a'atar stood back, letting the staff stand on its own. The glow grew brighter, so bright that Wren had to avert her gaze, until finally the staff shot a bright teal beam straight into the starry sky.

The shaking grew more pronounced as the beam dimmed and vanished. A large pit was opening before them and the roof of an ancient building began to rise out of the sand itself. The building was massive; it was a circular structure with a flat stone roof, the top of the building was wider than its base, making it stand like a top. Part of the building was still buried in the sand, and when it stopped rising and settled with a soft dusty thump.

Z'a'atar smiled at their awed expressions, "Welcome to the Twili Temple, known in our language as Alqamar Temple. Most of it is buried underground, and I know for a fact that we will not have to concern ourselves with the upper floors of this structure. The Triforce would be held in its core, not its attic."

Link nodded, "Just like Hylia said during her first appearance, 'the Triforce will be in the heart of the temple.'"

Wren swallowed, along with the nerves in her stomach, her deep seeded fear of being underground was taking root.

" _You okay?"_

" _I don't want to be underground. There's a reason I have never been to the Castle's basement. It's a primal fear, like the Skulltala thing."_

Sheik moved to grip Wren's hand, his bandaged fingers rubbing against her callouses, _"I will be here. So will Link and the Twili. Don't worry."_

Z'a'atar approached what could have only been the entrance to the place, a large slab of stone set slightly into the wall. He jabbed his staff directly into the center of the slab, causing more blue light, and the door to shudder and slide open. Inside was nothing but darkness, a long tunnel leading down into the heart of the temple.

Wren could've vomited out of sheer anxiety. She forced herself to take a few calming breaths before facing the others.

"So, uh, who's first?"

Link took a few step forward and then stopped. The ground was shaking again, this time not from the building but from something behind them.

Sheik narrowed his eyes at the distance. The ground was disturbed by something moving underneath it, a long and winding cloud of sand was working their way towards them.

Z'dlam spoke for the first time, "Ah, shit. It's a Hirudi. A sandworm, and a big one by the looks of it. I will take care of it, you guys go, I will stand guard until you return."

Before Z'a'atar or Z're could argue, he was off, running on top of the sand like a lizard. He met the Hirudi head on several yards away; he was right, the worm was huge. It reared up out of the sand revealing its flat, wide, tan body, its head seamlessly blending in with the rest of it. The mouth of the beast was sucker like and contained a spiral set of hooked teeth going clear back into what could be considered its throat. Z'dlam produced his long dagger, and with an inhuman leap, jumped directly onto the beast's head.

The monster roared and reared but Z'dlam's dagger hit home in its skull.

That's when the rest of the group noticed an incredibly dark cloud growing on the horizon. The ache in Wren's stomach grew, "Guys, we need to get into the temple. Or go help Z'dlam. We need to make some sort of decision now!"

The cloud was moving far too fast to be natural. It stopped directly above Z'dlam and the now dead Hirudi. A bolt of blinding lightning struck; fortunately Z'dlam had the good sense to not stand directly under the cloud and rolled out of the way, and an unearthly loud clap of thunder followed. The sand around the worm had spiked into a grotesquely beautiful sculpture, molded from the lightening itself.

The darkness settled to the ground next to the newly formed sand sculpture, and a man began to emerge from it. He was garbed totally in black but was by no means Link's dark incarnate. He was of average height, but held himself with confidence. His ears were distorted and stretched like Fyn's but his eyes were the same milky white that Wren's took on in the village. The cloud behind him dissipated and Wren could tell that this man was armed with not only his magic, but also with a long broadsword strapped to his back. The weapon was unwieldy and would likely require both hands to use but it was a one hit, one kill type of sword.

He smiled down at Z'dlam, who was trying to get his footing in the sand, his dagger lost when the lightning struck, "That was a good dodge. And wonderful work dispatching on my pet. Let's see if you can dodge this!"

Before anyone knew what had happened, Z'dlam was thrown back, his feet knocked off of the ground, and slammed into the temple next to them. His head made a disgusting thud against the stone and he fell limp. The stranger simply smiled and lowered his raised hand.

Chaos broke loose. Wren moved to tend to Z'dlam, to see if he even still had a pulse or if the impact had broken his neck or spine. Z're and Z'a'atar produced their own weapons and began to charge but were stopped by Link and Sheik, who both moved to shield Wren. Z'dlam still had a pulse but was concussed, it would take a small amount of time for Wren to heal him, and even then he wouldn't be at his full strength.

" _You better do a blessing…"_

Wren stood and held out both of her hands, the familiar warm glow taking over, "I, the Goddess's Holy Vessel, bless my allies against this new foe. By my power they will be able to defeat him soundly and will have the strength and endurance to do so. Their weapons will remain-"

The stranger stopped halfway between them and the Hirudi, "A blessing. Cute. Do you really think I didn't come prepared for that?"

He snapped his fingers and Wren's voice caught in her throat, "Will remain. Their weapons will remain—" the words were like acid in her mouth burning her tongue. She lowered her hands, the glow now gone and gripped the swords on her back.

"You didn't bless yourself Vessel. That was a mistake."

The man moved with such speed and grace making him incredibly difficult to follow; Sheik, however, was just as fast, if not faster, and was also trained to combat such enemies. He forced Wren back, her feet passing the threshold of the temple and attacked.

The last thing Wren saw before the temple door slid down with a dusty slam was Sheik's full on assault of who could have only been Ganondorf's Mage; up until now, Wren had yet to see Sheik's full potential, and she realized that in their training sessions he had been incredibly kind to her. Sheik moved like an animal, every attack and counter attack was planned.

It all happened so fast that it took Wren a few moments to realize that, for the first time since she arrived in Hyrule, she was truly alone.


	27. Chapter 26

Wren turned and faced the darkness before her. She could've cried; she was alone in a temple full of Farore knew what, while the others fought an incredibly powerful adversary just a few feet away.

Hylia's voice inside her head spoke, her tone comforting and soft, _"You have your weapons. You have your training. You can do this. Just trust your instincts. I will be here to provide guidance. The sooner you find Din's piece of the Triforce, the sooner we can leave this place."_

Wren nodded and took a very tentative step forward. The temple came alive with soft blue light contained in spiral etchings along the wall. This provided Wren enough light to see but not so much that she would be easily visible to any enemies within this place.

 _"Keep your weapons drawn. Always stay on guard. Your first foe in up ahead at the crossroads."_

As Wren continued down the long corridor, which steadily sloped itself downward, she took stock of her inventory. She had whatever she had on her when she dismounted Tempest: her swords, a belt full of throwing knives, two long daggers, one on each thigh, four small daggers evenly stashed away in her boots, her boomerang, bottles of red, green, and blue potions, a small parcel of crackers from the Desert Sheikah, her (thankfully full) canteen, and her harp, which was strapped securely to the small of her back.

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she barely had time to dodge the massive spider that swung down from the ceiling before her. She had reached the crossroads, and a giant Skulltala took up the space.

The thing was disgusting and huge. It had eight hairy legs, each one as tall as Wren, eight beady red eyes, two fangs the length of Wren's forearm, and a massive white carapace and abdomen. No wonder they were called "Skulltalas," the hard body of the thing looked like a giant skull, complete golden fur where the eyes would logically go; this, of course, only added to the creepiness of the monster.

Wren reared back and leaned against a wall; she was hyperventilating and fighting the impulse to flee. The spider, on the other hand, swung before the crossroads on a thick bit of web menacingly clicking its fangs.

 _"Calm down Wren. It's not going to attack you. You have to find a way past it though."_

 _"What?! How! How in Hyrule am I supposed to get past that thing?! I don't even want to go near it!"_

 _"You're going to have to kill it. There's a few ways to do that. One, you could cut it down, which will cause it to fall and scuttle after you until you managed to flip it over and pierce through its abdomen. Or, two, and I prefer this method, you could dodge and roll underneath it and pierce it while it is still hanging from its web. Just strike it with your sword, the momentum will cause it to swing and you can easily get around it."_

Wren took a deep breath, her heart still threatened to beat a hole through her sternum, but the quicker she disposed of this thing, the quicker she would be out of here.

She spoke her next words aloud, "So, ah, I just go up and thump it?"

And Hylia answered in her head, _"Yes, just avoid the web. Once it starts to swing you can sneak behind it."_

Very slowly, Wren placed one foot in front of the other, until she stood a mere three feet away from the spider. The beast's clicking increased in volume and speed, it was threatening her.

"Now or never I guess."

 _"Make sure it's a good and hard swing. A gentle tap will do you no favors here."_

Wren took a fighting stance, both swords in hand, and swung sideways, hitting the Skulltala square in its cephalothorax. The spider swung, nearly bashing into the wall next to it, and Wren seized the opportunity to shuffle behind it.

 _"Now Wren! Stab it now before it turns around!"_

With an almighty jab, Wren plunged both of her swords into the spider's fat, fleshy abdomen. The thing let out an unholy shriek before severing the web with its hind legs. It fell to the ground with a squelch, righted itself, and faced Wren.

Who was nearly paralyzed in fear. She was glued to the spot, shaking, her swords held before her in a defensive stance.

 _"You will have to flip it over! Don't let it wrap you up in its web!"_

Before Wren could even process Hylia's words, the Skulltala reared back on four legs and shot a sticky, fat, web out of its mouth directly at Wren.

She moved without thinking, dodging to the side, the spider now to the right of her. Thankfully, the thing was slow to sever its web and get its bearings, allowing Wren a few precious moments to speak with Hylia.

"How do I flip it!?"

 _"Figure it out! It's already wounded, it shouldn't be too hard."_

"Fuck! Thank you helper helperton!"

 _"I can guide you, but I am not about to give you all the answers. Watch out, it's getting ready to attack again."_

And so it was, the spider reared up again, but this time Wren was ready. She moved to attack before the thing could shoot its web, aiming a sword directly at its head. Her sword hit its mark, directly in the center of the spider's eyes, but now she was far too close to its pincers and front legs for comfort.

Wren took a pincer directly to her thigh. She leapt back before the Skulltala could grab her again. The puncture hurt, she could feel the venom coursing through her leg, and she would soon find herself dead if she didn't kill it.

Another web was shot her way, one which she barely dodged, which was when she got an idea; if she could somehow get close enough to the spider to stab it when it reared up, surely that would kill it.

 _"Bingo. But you will have to make the stab count."_

"Can I use a throwing needle? Or chuck one of my daggers?"

 _"Won't go deep enough."_

"Of course not."

Wren's leg was on fire but she could still make a final stand. She waited until the spider pivoted again and held her swords at the ready. She knew she only had one shot at killing the thing.

Time slowed, the spider reared up and Wren saw just the smallest hint of a fleshy underbelly beneath a soft shell. She put all of her strength in her healthy leg, and sprung to attack. She jabbed not one, but both swords into the spider's gullet, forcing it to stall. She pulled the swords out and dodged out of the way as it fell.

It curled itself into a ball, all eight legs crunched underneath it, and died.

 _"Ah, good job Wren."_

Wren wasn't listening, she was slumped against the wall, her breath coming in short gasps. Her hands were shaking and the contents of her stomach were about to make an appearance. She moved to examine her leg; the flesh itself had melted off exposing the muscle underneath. This would either take up all of her red potion or make her incredibly hungry.

 _"Use the potion."_

She nodded to herself, reached for the potion stored safely away in a padded pocket on her belt, uncorked it, and downed the bottle in a few solid gulps.

The leg began to mend itself, she would be able to walk on it but definitely would not want to take any more hits to it any time soon.

Wren leaned back and closed her eyes. She needed to calm down before continuing; her heartrate was still too high and she could hardly breathe.

 _"It's okay Wren. You did it. Now you know how to kill them. It will get easier with more practice."_

Wren barely managed to nod, "Never again. I swear to Din, if there are any more of those things in this place—"

 _"You will have to kill them. Skulltalas are the least of your worries in this temple. Now, stand up and get moving. Take the right corridor, the left one leads upward; the quicker you pull yourself together, the quicker we can get out of here."_

Of course Hylia was right. The others were still outside facing a far stronger adversary. Wren's legs felt like led but still she stood and somehow managed to walk down the corridor.

Right into a room with absolutely nothing but sand in it. No switches or levers, no visible enemies, and nowhere else to go but straight through the sand to the door at the other end.

"I don't like this, could be something hidden in the sand."

 _"Astute. Stay alert and mind your step."_

She was approximately halfway across the room when a very large worm flew out of the sand and aimed itself right at her face. She reacted without thinking and swung one of her swords to kill the thing.

Before Wren could examine the animal's corpse, another flew out of the sand to try and make purchase on her leg. Another flew out in the opposite direction, followed by another, and another yet. Pivoting in the sand was difficult, but she still managed to slash each of the worms in two.

She bent to pick up one half of a worm; it was a small Hirudi, a baby, or possibly a different subspecies of the giant one they encountered outside.

 _"Well, that was simple."_

Wren nodded, "Probably all over this place. Easy enough to kill but too many of them could get overwhelming."

The door on the other side of the Hirudi room opened to a vast, circular stone room. The ceiling rose straight up and moon could be seen through a tiny opening at the top of the building. The space was totally bare; the exit was on the far side of the room and the walls were lit with the same blue light as previous rooms. It would've been a very beautiful, and peaceful, place, had it not been so intimidating.

"What are the odds that this place is one straight line straight into the Earth?"

Hylia was silent so Wren began her trek across the room; each step echoed on the smooth stone. She chose the quickest route, opting for a straight shot to the door instead of searching around the room for traps and goods. This turned out to be her downfall; she stepped on a small switch embedded in the floor causing the walls themselves to rotate around her, the blue lights blurring into one continuous streak.

"Oh what fresh Hell is this now?"

" _Should've been paying more attention. Remember, this place is full of traps and tricks."_

The walls had begun to slow and instead of one door, Wren now faced six.

"Shit."

One of the doors began to glow blue while the others all remained their stony color; naturally, this was the door that Wren approached first.

Etched into the stone was a riddle:

Six doors stand before you where one door stood before,

But, beware, you will rue the day you open the wrong door.

Do not get careless, but do not fear,

The answer you seek is undoubtedly near.

Begin here with the blue and you will find

A trapdoor and a deadly fall lie behind.

To the right of the trap, a wall will great you

And nearby is a monster, hungry for food.

But do not get discouraged because safety is nigh

Right next to the monster, a fall where you will surely die.

To the left of the blue

Another wall will great you.

The final door is leads to safety, where you will discover

A tunnel leading to a room for you to recover.

And that is my last hint,

But fear not, you can still quit.

Just turn back now, you can still leave this place,

No monsters or magic will give you chase.

Wren chewed her lip, turned to the other doors, and began to map them out in her head, "Okay, so starting with the blue, then to the left and right of that we have brick walls. It didn't say if those were safe to open, so we will just leave them be. The blue door itself is a trap door, so that's a no go."

She paced around the room, placing X's in the sand in front of the doors she eliminated, "—and nearby a monster is hungry for food—" she put a question mark before two doors.

" _This is an easy riddle Wren. Come on, you can solve this."_

"I know, they practically gave me the answer. I would just rather be safe than sorry."

She went back and forth between the blue door and the two question marks, "Right next to the monster… ah! Got it!" She put another X before the door to the right of the second question mark, which was soon replaced with an X.

Which left one door with nothing before it, she double and then triple checked her logic before approaching the door.

"This has to be it."

" _It did say you could turn back."_

"Not an option."

" _Good girl."_

Wren gripped the handle and swung the door open. She was greeted by blackness and stone steadily descending further into the earth.

"Hopefully, a room for me to recover."

The tunnel went on for a short while before opening up to a room containing a single torch and what would've once been a comfortable arm chair. Behind her, the walls shifted and scraped back into place; when she turned around, she was greeted by a solid wall.

"No turning back now.

" _So it seems. Need to rest, now's the time to do it."_

Wren shook her head and wrenched the next door open.

The room was shaped like the previous one, circular with blue spirals on the walls, but this one was far smaller with no opening to the night sky and had no visible door. The only thing that may have been an exit was a small square near the ceiling of the room; there was no way Wren could know if it led anywhere from her vantage point.

She cautiously began to explore the room, minding her step and hugging the walls. There were very small openings all over the walls, tube like things that were built into the stone; they couldn't have been more than an inch diameter and were spaced apart in an even grid.

Directly under the square depression, right at eye level, the tubes scrunched together to make a different pattern. Wren puzzled over this for a time. Why would the grid pattern stop here? Several tubes were placed together to make a small circle and several more made a line going straight up above it. There were ten of these, all elevated at different points on the wall.

Wren stepped back, a small noise of disbelief escaped her, "No way. Notes?! Really?! That'd be assuming far too much for the average explorer."

 _"Think about it Wren. The makers of this temple would not want their treasure taken, and what's a better way to protect it then requiring an instrument? Brute force and wits will do no good here; only someone destined to hold the Triforce would even consider bringing an instrument into this place."_

As Hylia spoke, Wren was busy filling in the staff on the dusty wall, placing each note on or between the proper lines.

Wren unlatched her harp from its harness and strummed a few soft notes, "Well, what's the worst that could happen?"

Once again, Hylia remained silent so Wren began to play the melody. She chose to play it with a quick beat, unsure of how long each note was supposed to be held, and ended up with a rather quick little tune with darker undertones. The notes were all placed low on the scale, and when they were played, even on the harp, they sounded dark and brooding.

The second the last note warbled out of existence, the room lit up with the same bright blue light as before. Each and every one of the tubes was glowing blue; the notes shone brightly before Wren who stepped back and shaded her eyes.

A hissing noise came from the pipes, followed shortly by a steady stream of sand. Each and every one of the tubes had sand flowing from it; small piles were already beginning to form around the walls. It poured from the notes in a never ending cascade, blanketing the wall behind it.

Wren turned, the door she had entered the room through was gone! There was no way out and the sand was starting to pile up quickly.

"Okay, think. Think, think, think, think. No way out, sand piling up. No, there's got to be a way out, this is a test."

 _"Take a closer look at this sand Wren."_

The sand streaming from the pipes was different; it wasn't as loose as the sand from the desert but was far sturdier. It behaved like wet sand would without actually containing any moisture.

The worst of the flow was coming from the notes, a rough and misshapen hill had begun to form under the elevated square. Wren cautiously placed her foot on the hill to test her weight; her foot hardly sank into the sand, she placed her other foot slightly ahead of the first one, and, once again, it hardly sank.

"I have to let it pile up."

 _"The room will be nearly filled up by then."_

"Helping it along would be useless and energy consuming. I have to let to rise naturally and climb up."

 _"I see no other option."_

The wait was, by far, the worst part. With each minute, more and more sand flowed into the room, covering the entire floor first, and then it began to creep up the walls. The notes and lower tubes were covered by sand, forcing the upper pipes to do all the work. Wren remained on top of the hill of sand under the square, always making sure to time her ascent properly so she didn't slide down.

Once Wren was within reach of the square, her head nearly grazing the ceiling, she pulled herself up and into it, wiggling her body in head first. There was a tunnel behind the square, barely big enough for Wren's body; before Wren could thank the Goddess's, she started to slide down at a steep angle. The walls of the tunnel were too smooth, she couldn't slow herself down!

 _"Be ready to roll out of this landing! Don't land on your head!"_

Wren closed her eyes and tucked her head behind her arms as best as she could in the cramped space. The incline gradually leveled out, forcing Wren to crawl forward until she reached a small opening at the end of it.

The room was a square, cold, and dark. Instead of blue spirals, deep ruby red lines were sharply carved into the walls. This room also had no door or view of the outside; the walls were totally smooth save for the carvings housing the light.

 _"This appears to be the final. What a basic temple!"_

Wren nodded, "We didn't explore the attic, but, yeah, this does seem rather straightforward for the house of the Triforce of Power."

 _"I don't know whether I should be insulted or relieved! Stay on guard."_

Wren's stomach began to knot; out of instinct she placed herself in the center of the room. A very small, but steady, stream of sand was already coming out of the square she crawled out of. It would take hours for this room to fill.

Nerves and the cool air were beginning to plague Wren, "Okay, there has to be something here…" she trailed off awkwardly, hoping for an answer from Hylia.

 _"Just wait. Your adversaries are coming."_

"What are they?"

 _"Something which you, or any Hylian for that matter, have never seen."_

"Great."

 _"Sheik would know what they are, and how to beat them, but he would've never faced one. But, alas, Sheik isn't here is he?"_

Hylia's words pulled Wren out of her pit of nerves. Sheik wasn't here, he was fighting someone else outside of these walls. She didn't even know if he was still alive. What if she escaped this place and she found everyone outside dead?

 _"They aren't. I would know and so would you."_

There was a soft clicking coming from one of the darker corner of the room; something seemed to be emerging from the shadows themselves.

It was large and grotesque, and what concerned Wren the most was that this _thing_ may have once been a member of the Twili. It walked on all fours, its stretched arms ended in large hand with long fingers while its legs stopped at highly arched and clawed feet. The torso was also that of a man's, save for the ebony skin with grey etchings throughout and a dark red insignia etched into its chest; the smallest hint of red shown from behind it indicating another etching on its back. The head, if it could be called that, was the only thing not man-like; it was shaped like a shield, rounded at the bottom with two points between a slightly concave top, a pattern made of lines and spirals both was etched into entirety of it. It was flat and sat directly on the stretched and deformed neck; several black tentacles mimicked hair by sprouting from behind and underneath the head.

Even on all fours, the thing was eye level with Wren. It was soon joined by four more, each as large as the other, to surround Wren.

Wren spoke in her mind, she was unsure if they could understand her, _"Um, Hylia, what are these things?"_

 _"They are called Shadow Beasts and hail strictly from the underbelly of the Twilight Realm. They are not found in your typical Twili alley, a powerful bit of magic would've had to bring them here from their shadowy land."_

 _"Going to tell me how to kill them?"_

 _"That my dear Vessel, is something you can figure out."_

Before Wren could argue, the first beast made a swiping lunge at Wren's chest; it was fast, its claws made purchase, but fortunately did not rip through Wren's chainmail. Her top, however, was torn.

Wren drew her swords and dodged the beast's second attack, its partners starting to close in on her. She managed to defeat one with a well-placed jab into its chest, but another swiped at her previously damaged leg, drawing a steady stream of blood, which her body quickly healed.

Another beast fell to Wren's blade, then the third, and finally the fourth one was killed with timely blow. Wren smiled to herself, these things were falling with just one or two hits, far less intimidating than they looked.

The final beast stood before her, reared back its head, and howled. The sound was awful, far worse than that of a Redead, and Wren literally quaked in her boots; she grit her teeth against the sound and forced herself not to drop her swords to cover her ears. The noise was a mixture of a screech, a moan, and a beastly wail. The whole room shook from the vibrations caused by the howl, and the previously fallen beasts stood.

"What the…" Wren's words were interrupted when the unfelled beast lunged at her, completely shredding her tunic top to expose the scuffed mail and undershirt beneath.

They were faster and stronger than they were during their first assault. It took a handful of stabs to bring each beast down. Wren was about ready to lunge at the final beast once again when it reared back and let out the same unearthly wail. Soon enough the other four were up and attacking.

Wren was exhausted and starting to get sloppy; one of the beasts managed to scratch at her face, while another made a decent sized gouge in her arm. They were smarter as well, none of them attacked her torso. Her wounds were not healing and Wren's energy was running out. She cast a decent Nayru's Love around her; once the Shadow Beasts realized they could not attack through this barrier, they stopped their assault to surround her. This allowed Wren a short reprieve. She downed her green potion as well as a few of the crackers and some water before assessing the situation.

 _"Think Wren. You get them all down except the last one. What do you have to do to make sure they all stay down?"_

"Make it so the last one doesn't howl. But he's too fast, I can't attack him before he does."

 _"When is the only time you have heard one of these things howl?"_

"When all the others have fallen."

 _"Put the puzzle together Wren, you can't sit here with Nayru's Love protecting you forever."_

"One of the others has to be alive… I have to get two of them at the same time."

Hylia stayed silent and Wren's Nayru's Love began to fade away. The beasts attacked again, their energy and strength tripled from being defeated and their temporary rest. Wren dodged one while slicing at another, somehow managing to kill it. She turned to another to take it out with a single blow to the head.

The remaining three surrounded her; if only she could draw them closer somehow. She placed her swords by her sides, yielding her attacks in the hopes that the monsters would take the bait. She wanted them to try to attack at once, but in order for that to happen she would have to appear exhausted.

Ready for the killing strike, the beast before her lunged, as did the two on either side of her. Wren waited a half second before raising her swords, extending them out from either side of her in a T shape, and spun on her heal. The attack worked wonderfully, the three beasts fell, with long gashes on their heads, at the exact same time. Their bodies disappeared with a puff of acrid smoke.

Wren wanted to rest, wanted to have some more water and crackers, but the temple was already changing again. The walls began to glow an even brighter red; Wren was forced to shield her eyes as they had become accustomed to the dark space. A golden light soon joined them.

 _"Wren, my daughter is about to make an appearance. I need to take over for a bit. She won't want to speak with you."_

Wren nodded at the floor, the golden light was nearly blinding, and Hylia quickly took control. Wren's hair turned to gold and grew down her back and the callouses and aches melted away.

When Wren looked up she saw another woman before her. She was beautiful; red hair that cascaded down her back in shapely ringlets, an hourglass figure draped in a deep red dress. Her eyes were even red, similar to Sheik's, and her skin was fair. Her small heart-shaped mouth was set in a smirk.

"Mother, it has been so long." Din's voice wasn't nearly as ambiguous and Hylia's, it carried more of an alto tone.

Din continued, "You picked a lovely vessel. She's strong and clever. Only hitting a few snags along her way. I was watching her, but you knew that."

"Why do you think I provided her with as little assistance as possible? Wren isn't stupid. She can figure these things out on her own."

"That Skulltala sure gave her a run for her money—"

Hylia interrupted before Din could finish her thought, "Yes, but now she knows how to defeat one."

"Naturally. I can assume you didn't come all this way just for a chat. You desire the Triforce, do you not?"

Wren felt herself nod, and Din held her hands before her. Her fingers were splayed in a triangle, thumb touching thumb, pointer finger touching pointer finger, the triangle between them glowing gold. A single solid triangle began to form, spinning itself into existence.

"You know we are going to gift this to the Sheikah Guard?"

Din nodded, "It is only fitting. The man has risked life and limb to save you. I have been watching him and the others as well. They fared well against the adversary, but the Twili boy is still injured. The Mage also escaped with his life, he fled shortly after the Sheikah pushed you into this temple. It seems that he had no reason to stick around if he couldn't get to you. The blessing, even though you never finished it, was strong enough to protect them during the short scuffle."

Wren smiled, "Your words ease my Vessel's mind. She can heal Z'dlam, but she cannot raise the dead."

"No, no one should be able to have that power." The Triforce had stopped spinning and Din handed it to Wren, "Keep it safe."

"Naturally. Can I assume there is a second way out of this place? We will not be able to go back the way we came."

Din nodded and took Wren's hand. The same golden glow as before enveloped them, and soon Wren's feet left the ground.

A small laugh escaped her, "My Vessel hates this Din. She's never traveled by Farore's Wind before."

Din's laugh matched her deeply feminine tone, rich and vibrant, "Don't worry Wren. You are in the hands' of two Goddesses. Nothing is going to go wrong."

The glow pulsed and before Wren could exhale they were outside of the temple, facing five very stunned people. Z'dlam appeared to be the only one truly wounded, his head was wrapped and his eyes were closed. He was slumped against the temple wall, but something told Wren he was only sleeping; a few empty potion bottles, and the fact that he was no longer bleeding, confirmed Wren's suspicions.

The two Royals dropped to a knee in the sand while the Twili politely bowed their heads. Din and Wren both smiled down at the others.

Hylia spoke allowed, "Wren, do you want to officially give the Triforce or do you want me to do it?"

 _"Which is more, ah, binding? Guess that's the word."_

"It will be stronger if I or Din does it. I didn't know if you wanted to for the sentiment of it."

 _"No. Sentiment will do no good in the oncoming war."_

Hylia nodded and called for Sheik to rise and face them. Knowing he was ambidextrous, she was forced to stray from the tradition of branding the Triforce on the dominate hand, and requested he hold out his left.

"I Hylia, creator of the Three Sisters and protector of the descendants of the Sky Children, gift the Triforce of Power to you Sheik. May you guard it and use it well in the upcoming conflict. Should you ever stray from the light, the Triforce will become corrupted and will eventually rot you from the inside out. When used with an evil heart, it will destroy your mind and body, but if used with pure intentions, it will only help you flourish. Is that understood?"

Sheik worked up his courage to face Hylia, "That is understood my Grace. I am most humbled and honored to receive such a gift."

Hylia smiled and gently clasped both her hands over Sheik's, a pleasant worth emanating from the palm of her hands into the back of Sheik's. When she withdrew, the Triforce had been branded into the bandages; it slowly sank through them and faded, planting itself directly on his skin.

Din addressed the others, "The Royal Household now holds all of the pieces of the Triforce, including my mother's. Combine the power and use it well in the upcoming war. I expect you do defeat not only Ganondorf, but all of his allies," She turned to the Twili, "I bless your people. You three have shown great courage to travel so far after facing such adversity, especially when Hyrule's affairs never concerned your Kingdom's. The Twili will always find an ally in the Goddess Din."

She snapped her fingers, a large pillar of flame erupted before her, blowing out as quickly as it came. Din was gone.

Hylia chuckled, "Well, she always was theatrical," she faced Sheik again, "Do catch my Vessel before she falls. She's exhausted and will be starved by the time she wakes again. She doesn't know this, but her body was healing as it was going through the temple, trying to stave off weariness."

 _"Ah come on Hylia, I feel fine."_

 _"You won't after I leave you. Trust me, that Skulltala poison did more damage than you think. It got into your bloodstream and your body has been doing everything to keep it from entering your heart. The Shadow Beasts also left very deep scrapes, which you didn't notice in the heat of the moment."_

Sheik, perhaps a bit emboldened from the Triforce, addressed Hylia again, "What did she face? Will she be okay after some rest or do we need to give her a red potion?"

"Rest and some food will be fine. She was bit by a Skulltala and five Shadow Beasts also did a number on her. She soundly defeated them all, plus some tricks and traps along the way; you should be proud Sheik."

A smile graced Sheik's face beneath his cowl, "Believe me, I am. Thank you for keeping her safe my Grace."

"I understand how much she means to the people around her. She is not just my Vessel, but she is also a friend and partner. I will do everything in my power to keep her alive." With those words Hylia went dormant, and Wren fell forward into Sheik's arms.


	28. Chapter 27

AN: I'm not dead... Summer is here and I have not found work as of yet, so I had some time to get back to this story. Thank you everyone for sticking with it, thank you to the people the dug this story out of the archives to follow and fav, and thank you for your patience. As a promised some people, this chapter has a sex scene in it which is not marked off by page breaks... sorry.

Another note, I really, really, really, struggled with this chapter's sex scene. I almost scrapped the whole thing and started over, but I powered through it. I don't know how many more sex scenes I will have in this story as they are very difficult to write. So, if you ever come across an erotic story that is actually tastefully done, give that author some credit as these scenes are so hard to write.

* * *

Wren woke to a pleasant breeze and a familiar body pressed to her side; the low sun indicated that she had traveled all night, and she gathered that she was in the Desert Sheikah outpost from the thatched roof and makeshift cloth walls. A combination of aches, hunger, and Sheik's warm hand on her shoulder prevented her from sitting up straight.

He was masked, the fabric clung to his lower face, his ruby eyes shining in contrast to the whiteness. He moved his gloved hand to gently stroke her check then moved down to grasp her hand, the warmth in his eyes never leaving her face.

"I'm glad to see signs of life. You took one hell of a beating in the temple and have been asleep all night," he gestured to the window cut out of the one solid thatch wall, "as you can see it's shortly after dawn. The Twili will leave this evening, as will we."

Wren groaned, there was a sword fight going on in her head and hunger pangs were making it hard to focus. Her healing abilities had reached their apex; her muscles were achy and her bones were smoldering. She felt as though she was on the brink of starvation; an almost nauseous sensation plagued her.

Sheik softly moved his thumb in circles on Wren's hand, "You aren't feverish anymore, you were for a short time after The Goddess went dormant—"

"You have the Triforce?" Wren's thoughts were coming slow and her voice was raspy. She knew he had it but still wanted to confirm it.

Sheik nodded, "Hylia gifted it to me, remember? Anyway, the Skulltala venom should be nearly worked out of your system. It didn't get to your heart, thank the Trinity, but you couldn't heal your injuries from the Shadow Beasts as quickly. You aren't cut open, not anymore, we managed to work a healing potion down your throat while you slept, but you still—"

Wren interrupted again, "Z'dlam. How is he? What about everyone else?"

Sheik smirked, removed his cowl, and pressed a gentle kiss on the tip of Wren's nose, "Z'dlam is fine. Just a minor head injury, nothing a red potion couldn't heal. Ganondorf's mage fled; he was after you and I suspect he had his orders."

Wren knew as much; Din's words from the temple bounced around her head like an angry Keese. She could only moan again and nestle further into the soft feather pillow.

A tinkling bell rang just outside of one of the tapestries, and before Wren could register what was happening, Sheik had his cowl back in place and a Sheikah was entering the area with a steaming bowl of something that woke up all of Wren's senses.

"Guardian, I hope I am not interrupting. You requested food for the Vessel."

Sheik nodded, thanked the apprentice for the food, and requested privacy.

"As you wish Guardian. I will leave the bell, please do not hesitate to ring if you need anything." And he was gone, the tapestry fluttering behind him.

Before Sheik could argue, Wren was sitting up and reaching for the food; her body screamed with each move, but it did not matter, whatever was in the bowl had precedence. Her stomach lurched, she felt like she was going to be sick, but her body desperately needed food.

The meat was charred and set in a hearty reddish-orange sauce with various root vegetables. The thick stew came with hearty, grainy bread and a canteen full of cold milk. The meat was heavy on the spices and hot on her tongue, but Wren gulped down four steaming spoonful's before Sheik told her to slow down.

"You are going to get sick if you eat like that."

"Hungry. Don't care. Almost sick anyway." She sopped up some of the broth with a bit of bread, licked her lips, and went in for another large spoonful.

Sheik couldn't help but chuckle at Wren's poor table manners, "I know you are. But slow down. It'd be stupid for you to beat a temple and end up dying because you choked on a chunk of goat."

Wren shrugged but slowed down. Sheik remained by her side while she gulped down the last of her stew, requested more, and finished a second bowl along with a cold glass of milk. She wiped up any remaining stew out of the bowl with the chunk of bread.

Finally sated, she leaned back into her pillows and allowed her body to restart its healing process.

"So, what's next?"

"For today? We rest."

"No, for the long run. You have the Triforce now. What's next for you? For us?"

Sheik sighed and moved to unwrap his hand. The Triforce was there, faded into the back of his left hand, it looked like a triangular tan, "I need to learn to use it. It's dormant right now and will stay that way until I can properly harness its power. Din's bit of the Triforce, well, it's not called 'The Triforce of Power' for nothing. You could say it's the strongest piece but that's just based on perspective."

"So, how do you go about that?"

"I train. I will start with Din's Fire, see how much I can push myself from there, and then, I guess, see what happens."

"Do you feel any different now?"

"Not really. I don't feel stronger or faster, but I do feel more alert. I rode all night, balancing you on the saddle, and I do not feel any fatigue. I've noticed that with Link and Zelda, and even you now that I think about it, all three of you have outstanding stamina. I have had to work for that, train my body to always be alert. Now, I feel it will come naturally."

Wren smiled, "That's good. You won't be as exhausted, always running on fumes. Maybe you will be able to actually take a break sometimes from here on out."

"I doubt that. Ganondorf knows we have the piece of the Triforce he coveted the most, and I am concerned that he gave it up so easily. The mage, he just vanished after that temple door slid shut behind you. Surely Ganondorf knew what was in that temple. He should've put up more of a fight to chase after you."

Wren stayed silent. The last thing she wanted to talk about was Ganondorf's plans; she knew she would have to face him, she knew she wasn't ready for that just yet, and she knew the future of Hyrule depended on her winning that battle. She just didn't want to think about that, let alone talk about it, right at this moment.

So she changed the subject, "I need a shower, or a bath. Something."

Sheik nodded, stood, and held out his hand, "Of course. I can escort you if you want."

Wren took Sheik's hand and hoisted herself off the bed, "Yeah. I would like that."

* * *

The Desert Sheikah's showers were hardly private. Each stall was secured to the sturdy earthen walls of the building by two flimsy thatch dividers; a curtain that had been greased to remain watertight slid across the entrance to each, and the only stone in the entire structure was the tile placed in each stall. Twenty lined the east wall, twenty more lined the west wall, and four large basins used for bathing babies and younger children were placed along the southern wall. Wren took the stall furthest from the large, open entrance and Sheik dutifully stood guard while she undressed behind the curtain.

Steam soon filled the area, it curled from above the curtain rod, to the ceiling, and out the wide door. Sheik heard a soft sigh from Wren as water stained with dirt and blood began to pool near his feet.

"Holy Hylia in Paradise, this is the best shower I have ever taken. How long do you think it will be before someone else wants to shower?"

"You've got time. Most of them showered early this morning, the rest will bathe tonight."

"Good, so I can hog all the hot water."

Bubbles soon joined the blood and dirt on the floor as the distinctive scent of cinnamon Desert Sheikah soap floated through the air. Another sigh from Wren, this one followed by a soft thump when she rested her head against the far wall to let the water cascade down her back.

"Sheik?"

"Hmm?"

"Since we aren't going to get interrupted, and since you haven't showered yet, you could join me if you'd like."

He raised an eyebrow, "'If I'd like?'"

"Well, it's a lot nicer than just telling you to join me. This way it seems like an invitation."

Sheik chuckled and began to methodically remove his clothing. His cowl was first, followed shortly by his dirt and sweat soaked shirt, then the chainmail. All these were carefully placed on a nearby shelf with his pants and underclothes tucked discreetly under them; his riding boots, along with the sack full of their clean clothes, were placed just outside of the curtain in the space between the two stalls under the two towels on the hook.

He entered the stall quickly, making sure to keep as much steam trapped behind the curtain as possible. Wren was a picture of serenity; her auburn hair clung to her neck and shoulders in damp ringlets, her eyes were closed, and her back was very slightly arched due to her position to let the water flow directly over her face and down her chest. Sheik got a perfect view of Wren, a view which he was admiring when her eyes popped open and the corners of her mouth quirked upward.

She extended her arms to him, "Come here."

Sheik couldn't refuse the offer. He moved to embrace Wren, the hot water running from his head, down his neck and back. The water was almost too hot for Sheik's taste, but it felt wonderful on his sore muscles so he couldn't complain.

Wren nestled her head under Sheik's chin, wrists resting on his hips, her fingertips ghosting his rear. She sighed again and they stayed in this calm state for a short time before she moved back, her eyes straying southward.

"Excited I see?" There was humor in her tone as she gently grasped Sheik's manhood.

"Can you blame me? It's not every day I am invited to shower with a Holy Vessel."

Wren moved her hand, gently stroking Sheik's piece, barely ghosting the head in the process. Sheik exhaled softly and curled his fingers through Wren's hair at the back of her head. He leaned forward and kissed her, gently at first, but then with increased fervor.

She matched Sheik's passion with her own kiss, and increased the speed of her strokes. Her fingers occasionally worked his balls, sending shivers of pleasure up Sheik's spine.

Sheik moved his other hand, which had been resting on the wall behind Wren up to this point, and worked it towards Wren's sex. She was already wet, both from the shower and from her own excitement, and Sheik's pointer finger easily entered her.

A moan echoed around Sheik's head and Wren rotated and ground her hips appreciatively into Sheik's hand. He broke the kiss and moved his thumb in rough circles on Wren's clit.

Wren's legs began to give as waves of ecstasy took over; she let out a sigh, almost a moan really, and rested her forehead on Sheik's shoulder.

He worked another finger into her and craned his neck to lick the shell of her ear, "We have to be quiet you know. Who knows who could be listening."

Wren gasped as Sheik began to pump into her, her motions on his manhood becoming more sporadic, "You—I thought you said that they had all showered." Her words were hushed and urgent while she tried to bite back her moans.

Sheik playfully shrugged and pushed them both towards the wall where he pinned Wren and let the hot water run down his back.

"I did, but that doesn't mean they are no longer around. Lurking. Listening. You know how Sheikah can be."

"Perverts, the whole lot of you."

Sheik chuckled softly, "I prefer to think of it as a natural curiosity. We hear a strange sound and we want to investigate."

Wren was still grinding against Sheik's hand, her breath warm against his ear, "You see, you think you have the upper hand here."

Sheik pumped his fingers a bit more vigorously, his thumb still working Wren's clit, "Don't I?"

"No, you don't." And before Sheik knew what was happening, Wren was on her knees before him, working the head of his sex into her mouth.

Sheik barely managed to bite back a moan as he softly thrust into Wren's mouth. He rested his hands against the wall behind Wren, all his attention focused on Wren.

Wren smirked around Sheik's manhood, gave him one long suck before stopping to rhythmically pump him, "Shall we call it a draw?" Sheik couldn't even answer before Wren's mouth was back on him.

The blowjob was fantastic, even though this was only their second time together, Wren knew exactly what to do to make Sheik weak. He managed to moan out a breathy "Yes, Din, Nayru and Farore, yes."

Wren toyed with Sheik's tight balls before standing, "Yes, as in let's call it a draw or yes as in—"

"Draw, come here."

Sheik moved to embrace Wren, kissing her passionately then moving down her neck. He worked the tender spot near her collar while he cupped her rear. Before Wren could register what was going on, she was lifted off the ground, her ankles reflexively wrapping around Sheik for stability. He pressed Wren's back against the sturdy wall.

He somehow managed to enter Wren both quickly and gently, giving her plenty of time to adjust to this new position while still sating his needs. She threw her arms around his shoulders and her legs tightened around him, which in turn forced a moan out of Sheik as her inner walls tightened around his piece.

The pace Sheik initially set was slow and steady, allowing plenty of time for both of them to adjust to this new position. Wren was in ecstasy; a mixture of never having been fucked in such a matter, Sheik's strong arms ensuring she would not fall, and the small amount of risk of being caught by a Dessert Sheikah all thrilled her.

Wren worked her hands through Sheik's wet hair and toyed with the shell of one of his pointed ears. She leaned forward, silently asking for a kiss, which Sheik gladly obliged to. Wren broke the kiss to nibble her way down Sheik's jawline and to his neck, sucking on the tender skin, forcing an almost animalistic sound out of Sheik.

He sped up and Wren did all she could to ride him to completion. It didn't take long, they were both so needy, so wanting, it was difficult to believe this was only their second time they had been intimate.

Sheik withdrew and gently let Wren down; she wobbled for a bit, hanging onto Sheik for stability before righting herself. The water had run cold, a welcome relief to the both of them. They stayed in the shower for a brief time, a comfortable silence between them, before the water became too cold to bear.

They dressed, their bloodstained clothing stuffed in the bag, and exited the building.

Right into Nour, who was waiting near the entrance of the showers.

"Elder Alessio wishes to have a private audience with the Vessel." Her tone left no room for argument, and while she didn't make a grab for Wren to steer her towards Alessio's home, her body language indicated that she would not hesitate to.

Thankfully, a comeback came quickly to Wren, "Anything Alessio wants to say to me he can say to my Guardian."

Nour shook her head, "No, he requested a private meeting with you. The most I will allow is for your Guardian to stand outside the door. He must not enter or interrupt the meeting otherwise."

"Why so private? I'm just going to tell Sheik and Link any important information anyway."

Nour only shrugged, "He would not say, he just requested privacy. And don't be so cocky, Elder Alessio has ways of ensuring secrecy. Now come."

Sheik's words echoed in Wren's head, _"I will be outside, alert me as soon as possible if anything goes south. I doubt Nour will leave my side, but she will be easy enough to incapacitate."_

 _"Have Link get the horses and supplies ready and alert the Twili. I don't like this at all Sheik."_

 _"You think we will have to flee?"_

 _"I don't want to take my chances."_

They were at Alessio's home, Nour pounded the door three times, opened it, and all but shoved Wren over the threshold. The door closed behind her with a click and the same level of nerves Wren experienced when she first entered the Twili's temple threatened to overtake her.

Hylia's soft voice resonated in her head, _"Be on alert Wren."_

 _"No shit."_

 _"This man is not what he seems. He is the elder, but there is dark magic here."_

 _"What? What's that mean!"_

 _"Be alert, and stay in contact with Sheik."_

Alessio stood before her, his gaunt features shadowed by the dying fire. The building was hot, his morning fire only recently smothered, and the shadows ran in long lines up the walls. He seemed taller than before, or perhaps Wren felt more vulnerable around him; she tried to maintain a pose of confidence instead of one of fear.

He gestured towards one of the chairs, "Sit Wren. We must talk."

Wren gamely took a seat while Alessio paced around the room, "What was so important that you had to bar my Guardian from entering?"

Alessio was behind her, "How did you beat Ganondorf's mage?"

The question caught Wren off guard, "Who—how did you know about him?"

"Your exploits at the temple have spread throughout our village. The Twili were especially chatty about what happened. Sheik has the Triforce of Power correct?"

Wren found herself nodding before realizing the question was rhetorical.

"And not only did Din appear but also your Goddess, Lady Hylia. And yet, none of this would have been possible had the mage not been-" here he placed his hands on Wren's shoulders, a surprising amount of strength in his gnarled fingers, "distracted."

Wren rolled her shoulders in an attempt to get the man to move, "If you know about him, surely you know how he fled after I entered the temple."

Alessio's fingers briefly dug into Wren's shoulders before he moved to stand before her, "He fled?"

"Yes, did the Twili leave that part out?"

"They were more focused on the Goddesses. You are sure he fled? That doesn't seem like something he would do."

Wren stood, "That's what the Goddesses said. Is that all you wanted? Surely that could have been said in front of Sheik."

Alessio was muttering under his breath, "No, not like him at all. Perhaps Ganondorf had other plans for him. Something more important."

"Right, well, I'm going to go ahead and see myself out."

Before Wren could reach the door, an invisible arm wrapped around her waist and forced her back into the chair. The heavy couch flew across the floor to block the doorway, and Alessio stood with his arm outstretched, "No! You will stay here! You must tell me why the mage fled!"

"What! How should I know that!" Wren was stuck in the chair, it felt as though a heavy weight had been placed in her lap. She was crying out for Sheik but was unable to make a connection.

Alessio was becoming more enraged, "No! He would not just flee! There must have been a reason! Who fought him last?"

"Sheik, but I already told you that he left before any real damage could have been done."

Alessio turned away from Wren, "You don't know him like I do! He would not have fled without a valid reason!"

Wren felt like she had been slapped, "Know him like you do?"

Alessio turned to face Wren, but his features were not the same. The wrinkles were gone and the gray braid had slowly begun to turn brown. His eyes did not have the glassed over appearance of an elder, but instead a vibrant red of youth. His hands had changed as well, front brittle boney things, to the strong hands of a man in his thirties.

"Wren. How old do you think I am?" Even his voice had changed. It was no longer gravely but held a deep and masculine tone. He sounded young and healthy, not old and dying. This bizarre question, paired with Alessio's now younger body, stunned Wren into silence.

He didn't wait for her to regain her senses, "Any age you guess, I can almost guarantee you will be incorrect. Let me just say that I have been around since The War of Time. I remember the Hero of Time vividly and I know all about the power of Din's Triforce. I experienced it firsthand when Ganondorf appointed me as one of his spies."

He sauntered closer to Wren, placed his hands on the armrests and faced her directly, "I know the mage because I was the one that appointed him. He helped me with my mission and I in turn aided him with his. He has been keeping me alive all these years. So imagine my surprise when I found out that the strongest mage in all of Hyrule and beyond fled from a few Twili and a Sheikah."

Alessio stood straight and drew a dagger from his belt, "And while I find it odd that he did not pursue you, I also see it as an opportunity to take care of you myself."

Wren barely managed to keep her panic in check, "You realize that if you kill me Sheik and Link will attack you with enough force to make your head spin."

"In a village full of my people? How do you think that would work out for them?"

Wren sneered, feigning confidence while still calling for Sheik, "Pretty well actually. A Goddess is just a bit more important than an elder. Especially a traitorous and deceitful elder. Any Sheikah here with any amount of loyalty to the royals would attack."

"Who are you to say that you still have allies in this land?"

This caught Wren off guard, she had naturally assumed that the Sheikah here where still allies of the royal family. After all, they had housed them, fed them, and kept them safe when they needed to recover. Perhaps it was all part of a larger plan.

 _"Don't be deceived, you still have allies here."_

Alessio stalked closer to Wren, his dagger at the ready.

 _"You better do something quick before you end up kabobed."_

The weight on Wren's legs grew heavier the closer Alessio got; Wren stopped trying to make a connection to Sheik and forced all of her energy into summoning Nayru's Love.

Alessio drew the blade back and made a mighty stab straight for Wren's heart.

And the Nayru's Love stopped it mere inches from penetrating her skin. She exhaled and forced the barrier out, pushing the blade and Alessio back. Next was the invisible weight, which was forced away with another push from Wren.

Wren stood and faced Alessio, the Love around her never fading. She drew one of the two small daggers she had on her person; her other weapons were back in their sleeping quarters, Wren had only grabbed the daggers because they went with her belt.

Alessio eyed the dagger, "You intend to kill me?"

"I intend to defend myself. If that means killing you, so be it. I would rather hand you over to your tribe, but do not push me."

"Again with the arrogant confidence that you have allies here! My tribe would only defend me."

Wren moved towards the door, the back of her knees bumping into the couch, "Then how about we take this outside? See who is right. If your tribe defends you, we will leave and sever contact, live and let live. But if they come to my aide, I will hand you over to them to do what they will."

"The stakes seem stacked against me."

Wren smirked, "Not so confident anymore? I think it's a great deal. If the royals totally ignore you, then you can go on doing whatever it is you are doing with Ganondorf."

Alessio bared his teeth, for a split second the grotesque sneer made his young features seem old again, "If there is one thing I cannot stand, Goddess, it is arrogance! You want to have a knife fight for all to see? So be it!"

He raised his right hand and a wave of energy pulsed off of him. Wren was hit face first with the force and thrown off of her feet; she flew through the air, landing on her back a small distance away from Alessio's home. He had blown the entire front of his house apart; the couch was in pieces beneath her and debris from the house rained down on her shield.

Sheik and Nour were working at unburying themselves from the rubble; judging by the amount that was over them, they had been near the door when Alessio decided to blow his house in half. Sheik was sporting a gash along his brow, the blood doing nothing to obscure the look of pure hatred in his eyes, and Nour's back was bleeding profusely. She was still able to stand and move rubble around, but she would be in no condition to fight. The look in her eyes was that of bewilderment.

An overpowering, almost irrational, anger swept over Wren as she stood, "Really! You blew your home apart just to prove a point! Moronic! You could have just opened the damned door!"

Alessio was gracefully making his way over the debris and out of the house, "Yes, but that wouldn't have garnered nearly as much attention. How is that shield doing by the way? I'm surprised you managed to maintain it, surely it will fade soon. Then we can actually fight like the warriors we are."

Desert Sheikah were queuing around the area now; some of them were helping Sheik and Nour, others were drawing weapons, unsure of who to attack, and others still remained idle, just watching the scene unfold.

Voices rose up from the crowd.

"Who is that man?"

"Is that our Elder? It can't be, he looks so young!"

"What is the Vessel doing? She's armed! They both are!"

"He destroyed his home, surely Elder Alessio doesn't have such magical power!"

"That can't be our Elder, it must be an imposter. That has to be why the Vessel is armed, she is fighting the imposter!"

A familiar voice rose out of the din, "It seems as though we have been betrayed."

Nour stood before the crowd, her back in tatters, and faced Alessio, "You are our Elder, are you not? You are just a younger version of him. Only dark magic can do that. Tell me Alessio, just how old are you?"

Alessio considered Nour, "I am far older than anyone else in this tribe. And right now, I have a score to settle with this Vessel."

Nour drew her spear, "Not if I can help it."

Before she could form a strong attack, Alessio snapped his fingers and sent Nour flying into the ground a distance away. There was a disturbing snap when she landed, and she remained motionless.

Chaos erupted. A few Sheikah ran to Nour's aide; hopefully one or two of them had a healing potion handy. More weapons were drawn, but they were unsure of how to attack a man with such strong magic coursing through him. A few turned and ran.

Alessio growled at these men and women fleeing, "Traitors! You knew what sort of magic I had! I will hunt you all down like the dogs you are!"

Wren couldn't help but chuckle, even as the Love around her faded, "Well, so much for your allies. Maybe you should have taken a more subtle approach."

Alessio was quick. He charged Wren, his weapon drawn, and made an attempt to gash at her eyes. She parried the blow and countered with one of her own. She was unable to make her mark as Alessio dodged it and readied himself for another attack.

The enraged nature of Alessio's fighting made him a mixture of deadly and careless. He was unable to land several attacks due to his fury, but that same fury made him faster and more motivated to kill. It would only be a matter of time before Wren slipped.

He attacked, and she missed the chance to block it at such a close range. His dagger made a long, and deep, gash from her clavicle to her shoulder. Wren wore no chainmail for the same reason she was fighting with daggers; she had believed this would be a day of rest.

Wren yelped and retreated. It hurt to hold her right arm too high and the blood was steadily staining her clothing. Her healing ability was already working, but her magic had mostly been spent on keeping the Love alive; this wound would not heal instantly.

Alessio charged again, and Wren barely managed to dodge his attacks. She was on the defensive now, barely managing to keep her daggers raised against the relentless assailant.

It was only a matter of time before she slipped again and another gash ran across the bridge of her nose, nearly hitting both of her eyes. She flipped away from him and tasted blood.

The fight had only gone on for two minutes; the Sheikah nearby watching in a mixture of awe for their Goddess and disbelief for what they were witnessing. Sheik had returned from Nour's side, she was still motionless on the ground a short distance away, and made to move between the two warriors.

"Sheik, no!"

He hesitated for the briefest of moments and Wren went on, "I will not have you incapacitated!" She licked blood off of her lips, and Sheik saw it for the first time; there was no panic in her eyes, no fear, only a solid determination. She looked almost primal with blood dripping from her nose and shoulder.

After a short pause, he gracefully took a step back.

 _"Thank you."_

Alessio snarled, "That was a poor choice. A good one for him, but not wise for you. Are you really that sure of yourself? You really think you can beat a mage of my magnitude?"

"Din, and you call me arrogant."

Wren didn't know what possessed her to raise her left hand and snap her fingers; it was an instinct, she knew something powerful would happen, but just didn't know what. A small flame was produced and it quickly expanded to engulf her entire fist. A look of confidence, almost cockiness, flashed across her face.

Alessio hesitated and Wren took her chance. She punched the air before her, aiming at an enemy that wasn't there, and the fire flew off of her fist in a magnificent ball. It expanded even more the closer it go to Alessio, who dumbly stood idle.

"No, you can't be able to do that—"Before Alessio could finish his thought, he was engulfed.

Two horrific screams filled the air; one from the Elder and the other from Wren as she collapsed to her knees. Her entire left hand had been charred up to the wrist and stood no chance of healing. She hissed between her teeth; this was the worse, far worse, than the pain she felt when she first summoned Nayru's Love. Angry red skin was already peeling off, exposing the muscle beneath. Bone would be exposed soon if she did act quickly.

Sheik was at her side before she could black out. He had a healing potion and was forcing it down her throat; the bitterness coated her tongue and she did her best to swallow. The cuts on her face and clavicle began to heal, but it did nothing to sooth her hand.

Link and the Twili had forced their way through the crowd; Link took center stage near Sheik and Wren, "Sheik, get her out of here," he turned to address the crowd, "Do you have another leader? Someone else that can be appointed Elder?"

Wren was forced up and the crowd began to blur; she wobbled for a small bit, forcing herself to stay awake as Sheik escorted her back to their quarters.

Link's voice boomed behind them, "The first thing that must be done is appoint a new leader. I will leave that up to you. After that you must get rid of this corpse however you see fit and root out any other traitors that may still be present."

Wren sat on the edge of her bed, her ruined hand before her, "Sheik, this isn't going to heal—"

"It will."

"I don't know why I did it, I just—"

"You acted on instinct, much like when you first summoned Nayru's Love. You knew you could do it but are now paying the price for not harnessing the power. You know what the Goddesses are capable of now."

Z'a'atar moved close to Wren with a small bottle of something black in his hand, "Try this. It is a Twili remedy that cures most burns, but I don't know how well it will work on Sacred Fire."

He upended the bottle over Wren's hand, the liquid inside was gel-like and smelled of licorice. It oozed over the back of her hand and between her fingers like slime. The cooling effect was almost instant and Wren could tolerate Z'a'atar applying more of the salve and bandages. Her hand would be useless for the journey back, but it would not be in pain.

Link's voice continued in the distance, "In light of recent events, we will leave you as soon as possible. The Twili will escort us as far as they see fit and depart as well. A messenger will be sent in a week's time to update you on any events. I expect to remain in contact with this tribe, as I do with all of the Sheikah tribes, in these troubled times."

Wren's stomach growled as an unfamiliar voice shouted out, "Please forgive us, our King. We were unaware of Alessio's intent."

A small pause before Link went on in a much softer tone, "You must not apologize. You have loyally housed us and kept us safe. Alessio was a trickster; any tribe could have been deceived."

Sheik addressed the Twili, "We will leave as soon as Link decides, likely within the next hour, go and secure the horses and pack your goods." He faced Wren, "I need to find you something to eat and gather supplies; you will come with me, and stay with me, at all times. You will ride in front of me in the saddle. I will not have you on your own."

Wren opened her mouth, a stubborn and almost reflexive argument on her lips, but she closed it again. There was no room for argument here, not with a gimpy hand and the possibility of assassins in the tribe.

She let Sheik hoist her off the bed and followed him and the Twili back into the village.


	29. Chapter 28

That night they would sleep under the stars. Two teepee style tents had been graciously gifted by the Desert Sheikah; they were small, only housing three people each, but were light enough to be hauled on the horses, and easy enough to assemble and bring down. They were camped on a rocky bluff overlooking the vast sea of sand; in the distance stood the Sheikah outpost, nothing more than a small line along the horizon, and in the other direction stood the now abandoned village, which was yet to be visible to the travelers.

The Twili would see them to the village and then depart.

"There is another," here Z'a'atar made a small gesture with his hand as he explained, "realm, if you would. There are Twili there, a different tribe from ours, but still our kin. We can only hope they will accept us. If not, then, well, I am unsure what we will do."

Link stared at the fire that had been built out of the minimal firewood they could carry, "You will always have a place in Castle Town."

Z'a'atar shook his head, a sad expression on his face, "You know we would never truly be welcome in your city. We are too foreign; the best we could hope for was to establish a niche shop, and even then we would not be fully accepted. No, Castle Town is a lovely city, but it is not for us."

They stayed silent, everyone present knew that Z'a'atar spoke the truth.

"Anyway," he continued, "We can contact our relatives and perhaps persuade them to take up the sword against Ganondorf. Who knows what they will decide? They have been secluded for ages and may not know, or even understand, Hyrule's politics."

"So, how do you go about contacting this tribe?"

Z'dlam answered Sheik's question, the fire casting shadows against is grey skin, "There is a rumor of a mirror into their world, a bit like an entrance into the realm. The mirror is hidden deep within an ancient desert structure, built by your people many ages ago, somewhere in this desert. We will find it and, hopefully, activate the mirror into their world."

"Do you know where this structure is? Or maybe what it is?"

Z'dlam's voice was soft, "We have a general idea from stories passed down through our generations, but nothing specific. It acted as a prison at one point, but has altered uses since then."

Wren ran her right hand through her windblown and knotted hair, "We can help you know. Go with you and try to find this place."

Z'a'atar held up his hand, "No. You three must get back to your home. Your hand needs proper medication, not just healing potion and Twili salves, and all six of us will exhaust our supplies. We will find the mirror and go to our people. We know the direction and how far into the desert, roughly, this building is. We just don't know if it has been lost to the desert sand."

Wren sighed, "I know you're right, I just really don't want to admit it. Let me do a blessing at least."

Z'a'atar smiled while Z're barely managed to keep her excitement in check, "Thank you Wren. I believe we would all be honored."

"Then please kneel before me." Once all three of them were before her she began, the blessing came almost instinctually, "I, Goddess Hylia's Holy Vessel, bless the three Twili before me. May Z'a'atar be able to lead Z'dlam and Z're to the mirror and their distant kin. May their travels be swift and safe and may their kin accept them. Let all danger stay in the shadows and provide them strength in the event of attack. Let their hardships end once they find safety. Please rise."

They stood, the golden glow around them fading, and Z're was the first to move. She embraced Wren in one of the tightest, friendliest, longest hugs Wren had ever experienced. When she let go, a mixture of sadness and relief played across her features.

"I am going to miss you Wren. You're people have been so kind and accommodating to us. I hope we will see each other again."

Wren smiled, "I am no good at goodbyes and will probably be a wreck when we depart tomorrow. But understand that without you, we would have never been able to even access the temple. You have sacrificed so much to ensure Hyrule stays safe, even when you lost everything." She faced the others, "You have given almost everything to help a kingdom that you lost contact with. And for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

* * *

The desert sands gradually changed to grass and the breeze became far less arid. The Twili were long gone, the goodbyes said early in the morning after a restful night at the abandoned village, a trying time for all six of the travelers. The Twili had departed to the east, in search of a place that might be lost to time, while the Royals continued their journey towards Castle Town.

They arrived at the city's walls late into the night. The moon was high and they wanted nothing more than to rest; unfortunately, but understandably, Zelda wanted to be totally filled in on their journey. She fussed over Wren's hand, asked all sorts of questions about how she summoned Din's Fire as well as how Wren managed in the temple, examined the Triforce on Sheik's hand, and managed to find a spare breath to ask how they would handle the influx of refugees Rusl brought into the city.

All this chatter was nothing more than fluff in Wren's ears; she wanted nothing more than to sneak away and collapse into bed. She was saddle swore, her hand hurt, and she stank of dust and horse. Rest now, bath later, and talk later still, maybe over a nice breakfast. After all, they had survived on road rations for the last few days, the village had some food left over that they could pillage, but it was not enough to stave off her constant hunger due to her body's attempt at healing her hand. She felt they deserved a good rest and a good meal.

She glanced at Sheik, _"Would it be in bad form for me to sneak off?"_

 _"No. Go rest, Zelda will understand. She is just eager to have us home and in one piece. Naturally she wants to know of everything going on her in kingdom."_

 _"What about you?"_

Sheik very subtly shook his head, _"I will be fine. I can rest later after we talk."_

 _"Don't wake me up then. I will be in your room tonight. Not really feeling the whole sleepwalking thing after I haven't done it for so long."_

It was true. The last time Wren's sleep was interrupted was when Ganondorf's mage took over her body. Granted, she hadn't had a deep sleep since that night since they were on the road and sleeping on thin mats.

 _"You have my word."_

Wren barely managed to hide a yawn as she snuck away to Sheik's bedroom. She was at the door when a familiar voice interrupted her sleepy reverie.

"I hear you battled Ganondorf's mage."

It was Fyn, his white swirling eyes seeming to glow in the candlelit hallway.

Wren was slightly taken aback and it took her a moment to respond, "I, uh, yes. No. I mean no. I didn't fight him personally. Z'dlam and Sheik faced him. I just saw him."

Fyn smiled, "I apologize, I didn't mean to startle you. I was just curious. I have heard rumors about his powers and was just wondering what we were really up against."

"Well," Wren sat on the padded bench near Sheik's door and motioned for Fyn to sit, "He is strong. He arrived in a dark cloud and produced enough lightening to make glass out of the desert sand. He was able to knock Z'dlam back without even touching him, and he could stop me from making a blessing. It was as though I was choking on the words.

"He's old too, at least as old as The War of Time. Alessio told me that he was being kept alive, kept youthful, by him. I didn't know mage's could do that, especially for so long. I knew magic prolonged your life, but I didn't know you could use it to prolong others'."

Fyn considered her, his long ear almost grazing the wall behind them and his eyes staring deep into hers.

"Please don't read my mind. If you want in there, all you have to do is ask, I will make a connection. I am just too tired to have my mind read tonight."

"I am not reading your mind. I am just thinking. This mage is powerful, and it is strange that he has not made an appearance up until now, especially if he was present during the War of Time. There would be history books about him, a mention, a footnote at the very least. The sort of magic you describe takes years of training. Training we would know about. Did you get a good look at his face?"

Wren shook her head, "Not really, he attacked at night. His ears were stretched like yours and his eyes were white. They weren't all swirly like yours though, they were more stagnant. Dark hair and dark clothing. His skin wasn't dark like that of Link's copy, more of a traditional Hylian tone. He also carried a broadsword, a monster of a thing that would take both hands to wield."

Fyn's brows met above his nose, "He carried a weapon?"

"Yes. Is that strange?"

"Most mages chose not to arm themselves with swords. They prefer to fight using only their magic. I have been trained in swordplay, but I would much rather use my spells and curses. Hand to hand combat, at least with weapons, is rare amongst mages. It is almost an unspoken rule, something seen as cheap and classless when we have mastered magic."

Wren snorted, "I don't think this mage is really going to give a damn about the unwritten rules of mage duels."

"No, probably not. I just do not like the idea of him being armed while I am fairly unskilled in swordsmanship."

The gears were slowly turning in Wren's head. It took her longer than she would have liked for them to click into place, "You think you will have to face him."

"Yes. If not me, who else?"

"I—"

"No. You will be skilled in magic, but not a master of it. Besides, you will be occupied with other factors on the battlefield. I will handle the mage."

"We have time, you can polish up your sword skills. Maybe learn some new spells or tricks."

Fyn smiled, "Time is on our side for now. But who knows how long we have before that runs out? I will work on my sword skills as well as new spells, but I may not have time to master anything."

An uneasy silence fell between them as they dwelled on Fyn's words. Wren's brain was foggy, she knew time would eventually run out, but she just didn't care at the moment. She didn't know if she could beat Ganondorf or if Hyrule would be strong enough to beat his army, and she just wanted to go to bed; let the training and talk happen another day.

Fyn rose, "You are exhausted, and I have kept you up. Please forgive me, I just needed to know what we were up against. Go rest. We can talk more later."

"'Later' sounds far better than now. Night Fyn, try not to worry too much about this mage. I have full confidence in you, and can bet that I will give everyone a blessing before we enter battle."

She shuffled into Sheik's chambers, barely managing to shuck off her dirty clothes and replace them with one of Sheik's larger tunic tops, before collapsing into the bed. Fyn stood in the hallway, numerous thoughts going through his head.

He was joined by Sheik a few minutes later. They exchanged knowing, almost sad, glances, but no words. Sheik entered his chambers and, with a sigh, Fyn turned towards his tower.

* * *

Wren did not dream of darkness and despair that night; rather, she was visited by Din.

The redheaded woman stood before her as she knelt on one knee, "Rise Wren, my mother's Holy Vessel." They were on a white plain, a place completely devoid of life but not unpleasant. It was otherworldly and filled only with whiteness and holy power.

Din continued, "I understand you managed to cast my fire, however, it ruined your hand. Weren't you ever told not to play with fire?"

The joke forced a smile out of her, "Probably. I don't really know why I did it. I didn't really think I could. It just happened."

"My mother's magic runs deep in your blood. You are strong, but also impulsive. You act on instinct, sometimes without thinking. This is both a good" here she held out her left hand as though she were a scale, "and a bad" and her right hand imitated the action, "thing."

Wren stayed silent and Din continued on, "You must learn how to control your impulses. This fire is not something to be trifled with. It is not like my sister's Love, which will heal quickly when mismanaged because it is meant to protect; my Fire is meant as a weapon. Weapons are designed to do damage to an opponent. It is not a more powerful magic that that of my sisters, but it is of a different nature.

"Do not toy with this flame. Do not use it unless necessary. But trust it. Understand it. Master it. You must harness this power and learn how to make it work for you. Otherwise, the flame will take over and will consume you. You saw what did when you acted with rage and impulse. Now imagine what it could do when you harnessed it."

It was almost as though a bell had chimed in her head; Alessio was Wren's first kill. He was dead by her hand and no one else's. He was dead because she acted without thinking, without mercy. Guilt suddenly overwhelmed her and she cast her gaze downward.

"I told him I would give him to his people. I—I thought they would just disgrace him."

Din gave Wren a sad smile, "Do not feel guilty for ending Alessio's life. He was traitor and a dark mage. For him to have harnessed power to keep him alive for so many years would have taken a strong toll on his soul. He was corrupt before he ever decided to dabble in dark magic, a magic that only tainted his heart more.

"The magic you possess is pure and powerful. Something that must be used wisely and not just because you have it. Do you understand my words?"

Wren nodded, and Din snapped her fingers. The same pillar of flame as before overtook her and she was gone. The dream faded as quick as it came, and for the first time in several days, Wren woke refreshed.


	30. Chapter 29

AN: I had a whole summer to write and just ended up with two chapters... I'm lazy, I'm sorry. I really didn't know where to go with this though, I felt like I was becoming repetitive so I finally decided to really move the story forward. I can't say how many more chapters are going to come after this one, but I can say that we are close to a conclusion.

* * *

The soft autumn faded into a much cooler snapping wind and the first snowfall was upon Hyrule. The snow fell in heavy, graceful flakes that stuck to anything and everything. Each individual flake seemed to stick out against the striking blue sky and it did not let up once the sun went down. They woke the next morning to the castle grounds blanketed with snow and numerous handy men attempting to clear paths. Gregor had risen early in order to heat shovels and spades to make moving the snow easier. The weighty snow had, thankfully, not come with ice; instead it was the type of wet snow that was perfect to pack into snowballs, delighting the children of Castle Town and causing dismay amongst their parents.

Wren had been sleeping with Sheik; her body either curled against his side, her head on his chest in order to listen to his heartbeat, or sprawled out in order to use the large bed to its full advantage. Her nightmares, like Hylia stated, had not abated, but Sheik was able to put her mind at ease in no time at all. Completely closing her mind, going into the almost catatonic state that Sheik saw in his nightmare, was a project they had been working on. This did not come easy to Wren, who was doing her best not to whine and complain, but progress was being made.

Time was also being spent mastering Din's Fire. This had taken longer than Wren had wished; she joined Sheik with Zelda as soon as her hand healed, weeks before the first snowfall, and they were still working on the Flame. Thus far, Sheik had managed to produce a small little flicker of light on the end of his fingers when he snapped them while Wren had managed to produce a fistful of flames, but was so far unable to maintain it.

On frosty mornings Wren would still train outside with Link in order to perfect the bow and arrow, a skill that came far more naturally to her than that of Din's Fire or Sheik's unrelenting mind training. She could notch several arrows in quick succession and they all made their mark. It was a bit trickier on Tempest as the horse seemed to think that slowing down even in the slightest bit would be cheating. He galloped at full speed while Wren tried, and failed, to hit her targets. It took several circles around the training arena before Wren was able to hit her mark.

Whatever time left was spent with Sheik playing the harp, reading, or listening to him tell stories of days gone by. These small moments were Wren's favorite times; the quiet, and valuable, alone time she got with the man she was quickly falling in love with. This affection was deeper than the type she previously felt for him, she felt it more in her chest, more in her bones. It was more than just some silly fleeting love, far more than a simple crush, but was instead something more concrete.

Sheik felt this type of love for the first time in his life on the morning after the big snowfall. Wren had quietly gotten out of bed to stand at the window, and it was there that Sheik felt she was the most beautiful. It did not matter to him that she was in her too big bedclothes and that her hair was in a matted mess on top of her head, what mattered was the look on her face. She was serene; the snow, it seemed, buried all of her worries. It was still pure, completely void of footprints or other imperfections, and would remain that way until it melted as there was no footpaths in this section of the garden to be cleared. The sun shone bright, almost blindingly so, against the snow, but Wren did not seem to mind. She continued to gaze, her lips quirked up in the barest hint of a smile, and her eyes, for the first time in weeks, worry free. Sheik knew then and there that his heart was promised to her.

She turned to face him, "Hey Sheik, can we have a lazy day today? If I remember correctly, there was some sort of a custom in my original time and place that allowed for laziness whenever it snowed this much. It allowed for hot chocolate, and snowmen, and sledding, and not going out if you didn't want to. What do you say?"

Sheik rolled onto his side, his head propped up by one hand, "I say come back to bed where it is nice and warm. Let Zelda and Link deal with the drama that is clearing all this snow, we can hide out in here all day."

Wren wasn't about to refuse the offer.

The ensuing sex was a mixture of passion and haste. Sheik knew exactly how to pace himself to make Wren whine for more, but she also knew exactly how to drive him crazy with want. She nearly rode him to completion before he flipped her onto her back to finish with a few wild, not quite out of control, thrusts.

He pulled out and let her nestle next to him.

Wren's voice was soft, "Sheik, I think I am beginning to really fall in love with you. And I am not just saying that because of that sex and the fact that you have saved my life, but really because I am starting to love you. It's hard to explain, and I don't expect you to say it back, but I feel like I would be lost without you."

 _That sounded dumb._

" _Just wait, he knows what you meant."_

Sheik knew then and there that Wren's words rang true for him as well. This would be the first, and last, woman he would truly fall in love with.

"Polaris."

"Hmm?"

Sheik spoke again, his confidence never waning, never second guessing himself, "My name is Polaris. I am named after the Guiding Star."

Wren sat up slightly, her mouth open. After a moment she found her voice, "You told me your name."

Sheik, Polaris, just nodded.

"But, you—I—am I the first person to know your name?"

"Outside of the tribal leader that gave it to me when I turned sixteen, yes. But, like I said before, he's long dead. You are the only living person to know my name."

The conversation from the sunny day riding outside of Castle Town all those weeks ago was coming back to Wren, "So—so you really want to spend the rest of your life with me?"

Polaris grinned, "I wouldn't have told you otherwise."

Wren said his name again, slowly letting it roll off her tongue. It sounded far better coming from her lips than Polaris could have ever hoped for.

"Just don't slip up and say it in public, or where others might be listening."

"Of course! 'Polaris' is just between us. You will stay 'Sheik' to everyone else."

A comfortable silence fell between them. Wren was in her usual post coitus spot, head on Polaris's chest, his arm around her to rest a hand on her naked rear.

The small mantle clock stuck nine; this had been the longest the two of them had "slept in" in what felt like months. Polaris sighed, gently dislodged himself from Wren, rose, stretched, and moved towards the bathroom to wash. Wren tossed her nightclothes back on, haphazardly redid her hair, and padded down the hall to her room. A day of relaxing, maybe curled up next to a roaring fire with a good book, was in order.

* * *

Zelda, thankfully, agreed wholeheartedly with Wren's plan. Court would not be held today as most of the families were snowed in or busy with their own snow removal, and Zelda was not one to force Court when Court was not needed. It seemed that Zelda did not care for the snow and would rather spend the day directing others on snow removal. The main streets would be first, the snow pushed to the side by oxen-pulled carts with large blades attached, then the side streets, and finally the alleyways. Key points would be cleared by hand; Thelma's Bar would need cleared as soon as possible in order to ensure the workers got a hot meal, as well as the doctor's office and a few small food shops.

On the other hand, Link couldn't seem to get enough of the snow; he was already drenched in snow and slush by the time Sheik and Wren shuffled down to the kitchen for breakfast. Apparently he had spent the last hour clearing snow and having a snowball fight with the few stable boys and kitchen maids that managed to make it out of their snowed in quarters. His nose was red and the tips of his ears where chilled, but it seemed Link could care less. He just wanted something warm and hearty for a mid-morning snack and would be off to see what other sort of work/mischief needed done around the property.

This allowed Wren and Sheik to spend the morning together. They lazily worked a bit on Din's Fire, managing a few sparks between them, and then moved onto Wren's mind training. Polaris didn't really have the heart to fully assault Wren's mind, not today at least, and they gave up after a few poor tries.

Wren glanced around before speaking, mentally kicked herself, and started a conversation inside Sheik's head.

 _"Polaris—"_ Nayru, the way his name even thought by Wren warmed his insides was like nothing he had ever felt, _"What do you say we go outside for a bit. Mess around in the snow."_

 _"I would love to. Do you have winter clothes?"_

 _"Custom made!"_

They had barely made it into the courtyard when a snowball hit Sheik square in the side of the head. Link, and his good natured laugh, was next to a nearby tree looking all too suspicious.

Sheik bent and made his own snowball, perfectly packed and spherical, and took aim. Link barely had time to duck behind the tree before the snowball splattered right where his head was.

The snowball fight turned into a free for all. Allegiances where made, Wren and Sheik had initially ganged up on Link, but that ceased when, with a devious smirk, Wren chucked a snowball right at Sheik's back as he tried to sneak up on the King. It was clearly every man, and Holy Vessel, for themselves.

Sheik managed to get the slip on Wren, and nearly got her before she turned, and out of pure reflex summoned Nayru's Love. The snowball splattered against the shield and Sheik rolled his eyes.

"No magic!"

"I—what! No! Since when is this a new rule?"

"It's unwritten!"

"Then it's not a real rule!"

Link was trying, and failing, to sneak up on Sheik. Sheik turned and smooshed a handful of snow square in his face.

Wren shrieked in laughter as Link shook snow off his face; a mistake, her shield was down, which allowed Sheik to tackle her straight into a snowdrift.

She couldn't help it, she laughed. She laughed far harder than she thought was ever possible buried in a snowdrift. Link moved to help both of them out of the drift, Sheik had gone in fairly deep as well, and, just as an unspoken truce was about to be made, Wren went on the offensive. She had a great aim and managed to smack both of the boys with snowballs before they formed an alliance against her. They worked in tandem the only way brothers in arms could, one packing a snowball while the other aimed and fired. A perfect snowball duo.

Wren acted on reflex again, snapped her fingers, and melted any snowballs coming her way with a fistful of Din's Fire. As before, the Fire made her feel cocky; she let the heat expand from her, the snowball fight momentarily forgotten, and pushed.

The fire came off of her hand in a quick burst that melted all of the snow about three feet before her. She pulled the flame back in and pushed again, this time extending the width of the flame to reveal the cobblestones that were beneath her feet.

She extinguished the flame and, almost as an afterthought, examined her hand. It was unburnt but the familiar hunger was beginning to creep up on her.

Sheik was first to speak, a singular, almost breathless "wow" escaped him.

Link was a touch more elegant, "Wren, how—when—did you learn how to control the Flame like that?"

Wren shrugged, "I don't know. I guess the training with Zelda has been paying off."

Link's eyes were still big, "I guess so. That was perfect control of the Flame. Wonderful. Not a big fire by any stretch, but manageable."

Wren didn't know what to say so she just said the first words that popped into her head, "I'm hungry."

Sheik chortled, "You would be, two Goddess spells in such a short time. Let's go get something to eat."

* * *

"Winter's don't usually last this long."

Zelda, Link, Sheik, and Wren had all gathered in the kitchen for breakfast. It was months after the first snow and they had received another foot of snow the previous night. All told, Castle Town, and the majority of the kingdom, had received over ten feet of snow.

"Oh?" Wren slowly stirred brown sugar into her oatmeal; she was just as tired of the snow as everyone else, but Zelda seemed the most exhausted. The Queen had voiced her thoughts at breakfast every day for the last week. She had spent every day of the prior week with Horwell trying to figure out just what to do. Removing the snow had become a Sisyphean task; it had been pushed into alleyways, up sidewalks, even up to the front steps of non-essential businesses, but each night they saw more snowfall and they were running out of places to move the snow. The ox teams, mighty as they were, had grown exhausted, and moving the snow out of the city walls was no longer an option.

"Yes. Winters in Hyrule are typically fairly short. Maybe one or two hearty snowfalls, then the spring comes to thaw everything out. That's what the people would've planned for and I am concerned their larders will run bare before winter's end."

Wren was well aware that people were already beginning to struggle. A representative for one of Castle Town's many charitable organizations had requested an audience with Link and Zelda a week ago. He was requesting food donations to be given directly to Castle Town's elderly. The man was sent on his way with a wagon full of both ingredients and prepacked dishes. That very night, Castle Town saw another four inches of snow.

"What will we do if that happens?"

Zelda sighed, "Send out hunting parties I suppose. Hopefully game won't be scarce. Malon's ranch is still producing milk and eggs, so that can help stretch larders for a time, but that will not be a permanent solution as she will eventually run out of feed. Her mill is working overtime to produce feed and I know for sure that she has depleted her wheat stockpile. The last time she managed a visit her team was packed far too light. She's running low and we won't be able to rely on her for much longer.

Thelma's bar has been receiving shipments from some of the desert communities, but it will cause too much of a strain on them to support the entire city. Even Kakariko saw snowfall so we will not be able to rely on them for charity. Thankfully, Thelma always has the good sense to stock a hefty larder, and the blessing you did seemed to help as well. Cooks are finding stored food they didn't even know they had."

Fyn and Horwell had joined them at the table. The mage was beyond exhausted, dark circles ran under his eyes and his hair fell limply past his ears. He didn't eat anything, settling instead for a cup of tea. Horwell seemed well rested but on edge.

"I have found a few books, ancient ones written in outdated language of course, on weather control spells. They are mostly foolish things, nothing more than dreams and hopes—"

Zelda interrupted him, "But could they work?"

Fyn closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. He opened them and Wren noticed that even the soft swirl seemed to be fading, "Theoretically. Yes, with enough magic someone could, in theory, cast these spells. Logically. No. The amount of magic it would take to work such a spell, and for such a long time as we have seen, would kill the mage in the process. Even Ganondorf's mage with his power shouldn't be able to do this."

Link scowled, "What is to say he doesn't have more than one mage?"

Wren's heart leapt into her throat, she hadn't thought of that possibility. Two mage's as strong as the one they saw outside of the temple! They would be destroyed!

Sheik's voice was soft, "Surely he would have made an appearance by now. He would've been with the other mage at the temple, or at the very least leading the charge when we first brought Wren to the castle. No. Ganondorf isn't stupid but he is arrogant. He would've made the other mage known by now to show off his power."

Horwell nodded, "Wren would be captured right now if he had two mages. We probably wouldn't even be having this conversation if that was the case."

Zelda turned to Fyn, "What are the odds that Ganondorf is controlling the weather in order to bring famine to Hyrule?"

"Slim to none. Hyrule has been blessed with short winters for such a long time. We were due for a long one. The spells these books describe are ludicrous and were never attempted."

"But there is still a probability that Ganondorf's mage managed to work these spells." The concern in Horwell's voice was obvious. He likely hadn't counted, and therefore hadn't counseled Zelda, on the mage being so powerful.

"As I said, it is slim. The mage would have to be strong. Far, far stronger than any magic we have ever encountered. The magic he would have to possess would border on godly. It's not the same simple magic that is brought forth when the Song of Storms is played. It's broader, deeper, it has to cover a vast area instead of just one city."

"Would you feel comfortable attempting one of these spells? Or is there a way to counter them?"

Fyn shook his head, "I've looked into that as well. There are no counter spells for these spells that control the weather. That's even true for the Song of Storms. The best I would be able to do, if I could even do it without killing myself, would be to attempt one of the spells myself."

Wren had finished her oatmeal and was nursing her second cup of coffee which she put down with a soft clink at Fyn's words, "No. I don't like that idea. If you try one of these spells it could end up harming you and we will definitely need you fit for when Ganondorf goes on the offensive. I say we wait it out. Form hunting parties, I can see if I can thaw out the ground enough to grow turnips or other root vegetables. We can put a layer of straw over anything that takes root. I can go to the ranch to thaw out the grass for the livestock."

Being cooped up in the castle had done Link no favors, and his words came out harsher than he intended, "If he doesn't try we will not know. Our people will starve if this winter continues in this pattern. I will not have that."

Wren remained calm, "And where would we be if Fyn ends up hurting himself, or worse? We need him healthy and his attention should be focused on things other than fairytales about weather spells. We know I can cast Din's Fire and we also know how to cure my exhaustion; we do not know how to cure any harm that could come from Fyn casting, or even attempting to cast, one of these spells. If the weather continues this way then he will have to try one, but until then I say we stay calm."

Zelda's voice barely betrayed how tired she really was, "Wren is right Link. For now Fyn needs to focus on mastering spells for war and his swordplay. There are other methods for ensure our people do not starve. This winter will surely blow itself out by month's end."

Horwell reminded them all that Link, Sheik and Zelda could also produce Din's fire if need be. Link could clear the roads using it while Fyn could cast a spell on several jars to contain it. They needed to stockpile the fire for when kindling ran empty and if they got more snow. It would exhaust everyone, but it needed to be done.

Link let out a very heavy sigh, "Fine. But he starts working on the weather spells the second our people start to starve. I will gather a hunting party. Sheik and Wren can ride to the ranch to help Malon. Zelda can send out messengers outlining our plans and well as some tips on preserving food. I can clear roads when I return and start bottling the fire with Zelda."

Sheik stood, "Wren and I will ride out shortly. We will probably end up staying a few evenings at the ranch since this snow makes traveling difficult. We will send word if we decide to stay longer than three days, and will naturally send a message when we ride for home."

Link rose as well, "Let Rusl accompany you. Another set of eyes will not hurt."

Sheik nodded; the plans were set, and the group departed.

Many miles away, the dark haired mage opened his eyes with a smooth, devilishly charming, smile.

"The king and queen suspect us my Lord, but their mage is foolish. He decided that the weather was caused by some sort of natural phenomenon."

Ganondorf sat in a cushioned, high backed chair in his mage's quarters. The room could only be described as "cold." It was featureless, save for a bed and a dresser. A few hooks, similar to the ones imbedded in the floor in the throne room, had been hammered into the walls. The room held no personal items save for the mage's broadsword which was hung above his headboard, no magic potions, and no art; it didn't even have a window. The mage had requested this, which Ganondorf was more than happy to oblige; Ghirahim had requested fine sheets and mirrors while Dark Link requested black tapestries and rugs. Anything to keep his soldiers happy.

"Excellent. What of our little Vessel and her guardian?"

The mage smiled even wider, "They travel to Malon's Ranch with Rusl today and plan on staying. I have the Sheikah's name if you wish to hear it."

"Naturally."

"Polaris. 'Named after the Guiding Star' were his exact words. Did you know Sheikah's don't name their children until they are sixteen? What an odd custom."

Ganondorf stood, "I could care less about Sheikah customs. You did well Clutch, but tell me, is there any time you cannot access her mind?"

"Only a few times when she managed to completely close her mind. She hates the training it takes though and has struggled with it. She has yet to access her inner eye's true potential. Polaris seems to want to focus on one thing at a time."

"Even better. Send word to Ghirahim and the Dark Incarnate. We will wait until they get settled at the ranch and send more snow. Hopefully we can force them to stay longer than anticipated. We will raise the dead that were planted in Castle Town and attack when they are their weakest. Will you be able to deal with their mage?"

Clutch smirked, "Fyn is weak. Even with my energy weakened from these spells I will still be able to best him."

"Good. Keep an eye on our Vessel and contact me if anything changes."

"Of course my Lord."


	31. Chapter 30

Even though the road had been cleared, or at least attempted to have been cleared, the snow still rose to the horse's knees, forcing the riders to maintain control and caution over the animals. Tempest's legs blended in perfectly with the snow, it looked as though Wren was gliding on top of the snow in a weird squatting motion. Ides and Epona were stark against the snow; Epona's tail got lost in the higher drifts while any snow on Ides's coat stood out.

It took double the usual amount of time to reach the ranch, which looked like something off of a Christmas postcard. The small houses were covered in snow, some buried up to the windows and higher than the door, and the manor house stood almost arrogantly over them. Some paths had been made, but it seemed as though the majority of the inhabitants of the ranch had been snowed in.

Malon and Ingo greeted them with no nonsense welcomings; Malon explained that the houses in which people had been snowed in would need to be cleared first in order to get the mill up and running. Once that was done they could work on thawing the pasture and the feed storage. Ingo and herself where both exhausted, the former even managed to mumble a "thanks for coming" before departing.

Wren and Sheik set to work on the houses while Rusl and Ingo worked on digging out the mill. Once the workers were able to emerge from their homes they set to work deicing the water troughs and working on the mill. Wren and Sheik were able to switch their focus to the pasture while Rusl and Ingo attempted to manage the snow that was left around the houses. Malon spent her day inside the manor house.

It was cold and slow going but the reward was tangible. Half of the pasture had been cleared of snow by the time they stopped; it was a muddy, cold swamp, but it was clear enough to graze animals on the dead grass beneath. It was just before dark, Wren was famished, and the Triforce on the back of Sheik's hand had begun to glow yellow. Sheik assured Wren that it was just a reflection of how much of the Triforce's power he had used that day, nothing more.

"Yours probably glows too, it's just not as visible."

Thankfully, Malon had not been idle in the house. Fresh beds, warm food, and clean water for bathing awaited them. Supper was an amazing spread, something Malon would have surely preserved before the winter, and they all ate their fill. The fire was maintained in the living area and a comfortable ease fell among them.

Wren was sipping a warm mug of honey mead, "So, half of the pasture thawed out today, people actually able to leave their homes, what are the odds of more snow tonight?"

"Hopefully slim. We would be chasing our tails if we were forced to thaw the pasture each day. Deicing water is one thing, clearing a whole pasture to feed a city is another. That poor mill cannot handle another massive snowfall either. I knew I should've had that roof patched but I never got around to it." Malon was exhausted; ever since the unrelenting snow began, she had been trudging into the city to trade supplies. At first she was able to use a wagon, and then she was forced to use a horse team, until finally she was forced to walk and lead mules.

"Rest tonight Malon, sleep as long as you'd like. We can handle whatever comes our way. I'm sure Ingo" here Sheik shot a sidelong glance at the man to his left, "will tell us whatever we need to do."

Ingo scoffed, "I'm sure I could. Will you listen though?"

Harsh words coated Wren's tongue, ready to fly forth until Rusl spoke, "Ingo. Your boss needs rest." He faced Sheik, "Ingo also needs rest. We will be refreshed and will be able to do more work. It is in all of our best interests to work together."

 _"Rusl's right Polaris, don't argue. We could probably get more done without Ingo skulking about anyway."_

Sheik stood, "I know I will be awake before dawn and will get Wren and Rusl up. We can do the basic morning chores, milking, checking on the chickens, feeding livestock, and let you two sleep in a bit."

Malon's flashed a grateful smile, "I would greatly appreciate that. Snow makes everything harder around the ranch, and myself and Ingo do need a not so early morning."

Wren stood as well, "I can do a blessing in the morning too. I would tonight, but I am just so tired, I don't think I have the energy to properly do one."

"I, we, would be forever in your debt if you did." Malon's joints popped and creaked as she stood, "It's my bedtime. Wren, you and Sheik have the guest room down the hall, Rusl, you're in my father's old room. My bedroom is across from that and Ingo's quarters are in the attached apartment. Now, that being said, don't wake either of us up before dawn unless this building is on fire."

"Naturally."

Rusl hesitated for a brief moment while everyone else headed for their rooms, "I can sleep on the couch."

Wren rolled her eyes, "Really Rusl? Really? Come on, it's not going to hurt to sleep in a bed. We will be okay. Get an actual good night's sleep for once."

"You said it yourself, no blessing, and that means we are not as safe. I can sleep on the couch."

It was Sheik's turn to roll his eyes, "Do you honestly believe we will be attacked tonight? With all the snow? Besides, no one knows we are here, Ganondorf probably thinks we were back at the castle. You will serve us better well rested."

Malon interjected, "Just take the damn bedroom Rusl. That old couch has seen better days, a bed would be much better. No one is going to attack us tonight, not in this snow. We have walls on all sides, all the entrances have been bolted shut for the night, and only one of those entrances is viable anyway. All the other ones are snowbound."

Rusl looked as though he wanted to argue but also wanted to be a good guest. He settled for a small chuckle and headed to his room, the others following suit.

"Does Rusl always insist on being uncomfortable when out of the castle?"

Polaris had shucked off his heavy clothes and stood only in his undergarments. He pulled a pair of night pants on before answering Wren's question, "Rusl takes his job very seriously. He rose through the ranks quickly, the amount of time and training he put into the army bordered on manic, and he has been dedicated ever since. Never married, no children, just the military."

A soft, "huh" escaped Wren. Her swords had been placed by the bed, right next to four of Sheik's daggers and his chain, one of her daggers went under her pillow, and Sheik would sleep with his throwing knives tucked between the mattress and box spring.

"What?"

"Well, it's kind of sad isn't it? Only having the military in his life. What's going to happen when he gets too old to fight?"

"He will be an advisor. Do not be mistaken, he is not a lonely man, he has his military comrades and family figures throughout the castle. Rusl just chose to focus on his career."

Wren had nestled herself into bed where Sheik joined her, "Do your best to close your mind tonight, the last thing we need is a restless night."

She cuddled closer to Polaris and they both easily drifted to sleep.

* * *

Chaos surrounded Wren on all sides. Sheik was a ways away, too far away for Wren, battling the Dark Incarnate and Ghirahim. He was holding his own against them but was gradually losing stamina. He cast a powerful, almost out of control, Din's Fire to force the duo back, but it was only temporary. Sheik fought with both daggers and chains but his opponents were strong. Sheik did his best to use the snow to his advantage, lightly treading on top of it while Dark Link and Ghirahim were forced to trudge through the snow to land any close attacks. So far their battle had been made up of Din's Fire, throwing daggers, and Sheik's chain.

Wren's attention had been taken up by Ganondorf's Mage. He hoovered before her, he had yet to draw his broadsword, but Wren was still injured from his magical onslaught. Blood ran down the side of her face and her healing ability had been taxed. She held both of her swords while the Din's Fire swirling around her melted the snow. She was engulfed in the flame and she was furious.

She attacked the mage head on and full force. He gracefully dodged her onslaught and waited for another attack. Wren changed tactic and fired a ball of the Holy Flame straight at him; she was close, close enough that he was only able to dodge it by throwing himself off balance. Wren took her chance and attacked with one of her swords.

Which he countered with his own broadsword, bending the slender metal of her blade to a useless angle. The mage had drawn his blade with such speed that it seemed almost impossible. The weapon was bulky and Wren should've been able to have at least seen him unharness it.

She threw the blade aside and attacked again with a throwing knife. He shielded himself with his sword, her knife bouncing pointlessly off of it, and went on the offensive.

The mage moved with the agility and grace of a trained athlete. He knew exactly when and where to attack Wren. His sword went through her flame and sliced open the fabric on her snow top. The chainmail beneath was scuffed and Wren was thrown off guard.

He was behind her before Wren knew what was happening. A small blade sliced into Wren's ankle, severing the Achilles tendon, forcing the usually tense tissue to relax and curl up into her calf. She screamed and fell, this pain was immense, and not something she would be able to heal right away. He had effectively hobbled her.

Her scream distracted Sheik just enough for Ghirahim to land a solid blow by launching a throwing knife into his left shoulder. Sheik reeled from the attack and fell into the knee deep snow. He was still standing but his left arm would be useless. Sheik wanted nothing more than to protect Wren but his adversaries would not allow it.

The mage approached Wren and she fired a feeble spit of the Flame at him before casting Nayru's Love upon herself. She was protected so long as the Love did not fail.

"Must we do this Wren? You are only prolonging the inevitable."

"Fuck off you pathetic excuse for a human being!"

"Language Wren. You are so wrathful. Does the Holy Flame do that to you or are you naturally so full of madness."

"I told you to fuck off! Where is your lord anyway? Does he always send his minions to do his bidding? Is he scared?"

The mage kneeled to be at eye level with Wren, "You will be meeting my master soon enough. Be patient."

"You will have to kill me and Sheik both for that to happen."

He stood and considered the battle raging a distance away. Sheik was still losing ground and he was injured. It would only take one small mistake on his part before he fell.

"No," the mage said with a sigh, "I will take you both alive. Polaris will make a great trophy for Ganondorf."

Wren gasped, "What! How, how do you know his name!"

"I know so much about you Wren, do you really think it strange that I wouldn't know your lover's true name?"

Wren stayed speechless and a guttural yell behind her indicated that Sheik had fallen. She peered over her shoulder and saw Hylia standing next to the fallen Sheik; her features were forlorn as she considered the defeat around her. The scene around them melted and Wren was able to stand; she found herself, once again, on the white plain.

Hylia's voice took on a deeper, more serious tone for this premonition, "Wren. You must wake. You must prepare. Ganondorf will send his onslaught soon. You are in great danger. The city is in great danger. This has been planned and people will die."

"Will I be able to summon you?"

"Possibly. But do not count on it. Wake up and for the love of my daughters, do not neglect to do a blessing!"

Wren woke with a start; the sun had yet to rise and Sheik slept peacefully next to her. She shook him awake, and quickly filled him in on her premonition.

"He knew your name Sheik! How? How could he possibly know that!"

Sheik had one foot out the door when he faced Wren, "This mage," he hesitated for a brief moment, "it seems he is far more powerful then we could even suspect. He got into your mind without you knowing it; that's how they know where we are, that's how he knows my name, and that's how he will know your fighting style. We must send a carrier pigeon to the castle immediately. Hopefully reinforcements will arrive before things get too ugly.

"And Wren, whatever happens to me, you fight. You focus on your adversary and carry on. I do not care if I fall and am about to be killed. You fight on."

Wren bit her bottom lip and embraced him, _"Polaris, you know I cannot promise that."_

Even though they were both armed, Polaris managed to hold her close, _"Wren. Please, for the sake of the kingdom. You are a Holy Vessel, I am just a Guardian. You cannot be so concerned about my wellbeing that you forget about your own. You must, just once in your life, worry about yourself."_

Wren pulled back slightly, "You are more than 'just a Guardian' and don't you ever forget that."

The blessing was simple and generic; all people on the property would be safe from any evil and would be able to find it within themselves to defeat their enemies. A carrier pigeon was sent with a brief message to the castle and Malon hid with Ingo in the cellar.

They heard the first scream shortly after dawn.


	32. Author's Apology

Guys... I am so sorry... I hate to be that author, but my story is dead in the water. I have a place I want to go, but because of life, I struggle to find time to type it out. I don't want to cheap you guys out on an ending and just slap something down, I want it to be right, to do everyone justice, to do the story justice, and that is a problem right now.

So, I am sorry. Sorry I had to end up one of those authors that never ends a story. Sorry that I checked out on you. I am sorry that I left it right at the climax. And I am sorry that I cannot give you a date that this will be done. Above all, I am sorry that I may never ever finish this story.

Finally, I am sorry that I let my followers down. From the bottom of my heart, I apologize.


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